Michael E. Schapiro, 36, Partner at Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, Washington, D.C.
Practice area: Investment management
Law school and year of graduation: William & Mary Law School, 2014
The following has been edited for style.
How long have you been at the firm?
Since November 2017 (six and a half years).
What was your criteria in selecting your current firm?
I knew I wanted to work at a firm that would allow me to do sophisticated work for reputable clients in the investment management industry. Additionally, I wanted to work for a firm that had a good working environment, with people who enjoy what they do and who treat their colleagues with respect. Finally, I wanted to pick a firm that invests in its associates and works toward their development to eventually make partner. Stradley Ronon has proven to be a firm that fits these criteria.
Were you an associate at another firm before joining your present firm? If so, which one and how long were you there?
Yes. I was an associate at Pickard Djinis and Pisarri for about two-and-a-half years.
What do you think was the deciding point for the firm in making you partner? Was it your performance on a specific case? A personality trait? Making connections with the right people?
The firm looked at many different factors, including my role with clients, my billable-hour levels, my relationships with current partners—specifically within the firm’s investment management practice—and my potential for growth as a partner.
Who had or has the greatest influence in your career and why?
Two partners at Stradley Ronon have significantly impacted my career.
The first is Alison Fuller, one of the most renowned lawyers in the investment management industry. She has often challenged me to take on more sophisticated work, push myself as an attorney, and get out of my comfort zone with the end goal of better positioning me as a successful attorney and partner.
The second is Chris Zimmerman, who has been a great mentor to me and is someone I’ve used as a sounding board as I moved up the ranks as an associate and in my transition to partnership.
What advice would you give an associate who wants to make partner?
I have three pieces of advice.
First, work hard. At the end of the day, it is important to show that you care about your work and that you are bringing value to the firm by meeting and exceeding your billable-hour requirement.
Second, become invaluable to client teams and be the person who clients specifically look to when solving their problems. The more integral you are to your clients, the better your chances of making partner.
Finally, establish relationships with your colleagues and be kind to them. Being kind is a small thing, and easy to do, but it makes a significant impact on the firm’s decision to make you partner.
When it comes to career planning and navigating inside a law firm, in your opinion, what’s the most common mistake you see other attorneys making?
I won’t necessarily label it as a mistake, but one common pitfall is for associates to get stuck doing routine work and never challenging themselves or making themselves invaluable to clients. Sometimes associates get stuck handling certain work for a good part of their careers without moving up the ladder. It may be comfortable, but for those wanting to make the most out of their careers, challenging themselves to find more complex work will make them much more well-rounded attorneys in the long run.
What challenges, if any, did you face or had to overcome in your career path and what was the lesson learned? How did it affect or influence your career?
While my challenges are relative compared to what others have had to deal with, there are two that stand out. I did not have a job lined up after law school graduation in 2014. Landing a job at my first firm took a lot of persistence. For those who are in a similar position, I would encourage them to network as much as possible. You will find a job eventually. Another challenge was lateraling from my first firm to Stradley Ronon.
While moving to the new firm was great, it was a challenge to find my foothold, especially when others with the same level of experience already had established themselves at the firm. Like starting out as a first-year associate, it took time to establish myself, but when I was able to show that I could work hard and I knew what I was doing, things took off from there. To those lateraling into a new firm, I would suggest keeping your head down and working hard when you arrive at your new firm. It will pay off.
Knowing what you know now about your career path, what advice would you give to your younger self?
The major piece of advice I would give to my younger self is to become even more specialized in my practice. While Stradley Ronon’s investment management practice is fairly specialized, finding a specific area of the law allows you to become a go-to source in that area and makes you so much more valuable in the long run. I would have advised my younger self to focus even more on finding that specialization.
Do you utilize technology to benefit the firm/practice and/or business development?
I use technology to maintain consistent contact with clients and colleagues, take advantage of various research databases and monitor industry trends.
How would you describe your work mindset?
I am driven but laidback. I like to stay organized and make sure our clients are satisfied, but I enjoy working with others at the firm, so I try to stay as positive and easygoing as possible. I think this fosters a productive work environment and one where my colleagues and I can thrive.
If you participate in firm or industry initiatives, please mention the initiatives you are working on as well as the impact you hope to achieve.
I currently serve on an associate mentorship committee and as a formal mentor to multiple associates. I also informally help with the firm’s hiring of new and lateral attorneys.