How I Made It to Law Firm Leadership: 'Have a Steadfast Commitment to Promoting an Objective and Inclusive Dialogue,' Says Laura Masurovsky of Finnegan

Law.com interviewed Finnegan partner Laura Masurovsky to discuss her career as an intellectual property (IP) attorney and the steps that led her to her role as the president of the Federal Circuit Bar Association (FCBA). 

Laura shared some of the surprises she faced once she assumed leadership positions in professional organizations:

"Even though I had been on the board and executive committee for several years, I still did not anticipate how much time it takes to manage and maintain consensus among stakeholders and the challenges in implementing change. I was pleasantly surprised by the patience and generosity of our members and leaders, and had the privilege of working closely with our talented executive director, Deborah Miron, to achieve these goals."

She explained there were various deciding factors that led to her being elected to the position as FCBA president, such as, "A steadfast commitment to promoting an objective and inclusive dialogue. And to assist in improving and facilitating the administration of justice in the circuit’s community, contributing regularly as a team player to activities and programming and having fun while giving our best."

Laura said that Don Dunner, "a partner and friend," was her greatest influence in helping to propel her career to a leadership role:

"Don was a founder of the FCBA, as he was deeply involved in the creation of the Federal Circuit. Don generously contributed his time and energy to the association throughout his life. Don encouraged me early on to 'raise my hand' and get involved at a time when I lacked confidence in my leadership skills. Don believed that, with initiative and hard work, if I put my mind to it, I could make a valuable contribution. I am fortunate to have had Don’s and the firm’s support for my involvement in association activities over many years."

She offered advice for women and individuals from diverse backgrounds in the legal industry to better position themselves for success and leadership opportunities:

"Having diverse allies and mentors and seizing opportunities to lead. Also, I think it is important for all of us to engage in open conversations about diversity because everyone needs to be part of the solution—and especially the people who leave the room when diversity is being discussed. Learning about our own biases is key. The Harvard study on implicit bias shows that both men and women are biased slightly in favor of male leaders. For women and people of color, the diversity and inclusion efforts may have led us to a place where we now believe that we belong and that we can succeed. But that doesn’t mean everyone around us sees it that way. It’s uncomfortable to talk about diversity.

Nondiverse people can feel attacked or left out of the conversation. There are a significant number of nondiverse people who tune out or leave the room when there is a conversation about diversity or are not invited in the first place. The consequence of nondiverse people not being a part of the conversation is that diverse people are left carrying the water. Women can help show that everyone needs to care about diversity for there to be diversity in the legal profession. To borrow an analogy, diversity is inviting people who are different to the party, inclusion is asking them to dance with you, and equity is letting them choose the playlist."

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