Women’s History Month Firm Spotlight: Annette P. Rolain
March 21, 2022
March is Women’s History Month, a national recognition of the vital roles women have played throughout history. At Ruggeri Parks Weinberg LLP, we also celebrate our female attorneys, who are vital members of our team. Today, we feature Annette P. Rolain, who joined this group first as a paralegal and then returned as an attorney.
Why did you choose to become a lawyer?
The initial idea came from one of my middle school teachers who, after a “for” and “against” class project, pulled me aside and asked if I had ever considered a career as an attorney. That conversation really changed for me the trajectory of every decision I made in pursuit of this career. I come from a large family of smart, driven women, so I then naturally gravitated towards smart, driven female attorneys who really invested in me and my success. They gave me opportunities to sink my teeth into substantive legal projects, which in turn made the decision to become a lawyer very easy. I owe a lot to their guidance.
You worked with this group of attorneys as a paralegal before law school and came back as an associate after law school. What made you want to come back?
This team is a rarity in the legal profession. In my three and a half years as a paralegal, I had a front row seat to some of the most creative legal minds at work. From very early on Jim, Ed and Josh trusted me with immense responsibility and gave me wide latitude to shape my role. They also rewarded me with experience, including the opportunity to assist them in a week-long bench trial in California. By the time I went to law school I knew what smart, diligent lawyering required and I knew the kind of lawyer I wanted to be. But I think it is important that I did not come back immediately. The time away allowed me an opportunity to understand the privilege of my experience. The truth is that the other opportunities I pursued never felt quite right, and that is a direct reflection of the people who make up the foundation of this team. It was refreshing to return to a place where it felt as if no time had passed. My role may be different, but the trust this group has in me has not. From day one my voice has mattered here. I look forward to continuing to build this firm into one that works for our dynamic team and is tailored to our clients’ needs.
Do you have any advice to pass on to other women as they begin to navigate their legal professions?
Never wait for permission to advance your career. By that I mean never wait to be invited to participate. As women we are not always confident in where our voice fits. Maybe that is so because we are not used to hearing a voice like ours in the room, or maybe we question whether what we have to say matters. Walk into every room with confidence. Ask questions, listen and observe. Ask for the work you want and the recognition you deserve. Just as you are an advocate for others, be an advocate for yourself.
What challenges remain, and what positive changes are you seeing or experiencing as a woman in the legal profession?
A lot of focus is paid to remedying the traditional ways in which gender bias affects women in the legal profession. But one of the main challenges that I believe women continue to face is a perception, or likeability, bias. The law is adversarial. How attorneys act as advocates – assertive, rational and decisive – is often at odds with how society has told us women should act. A step towards true equality is recognizing the double-bind tightrope female attorneys often walk. We all, women included, need to strive to eliminate gendered perceptions, and descriptions, when we evaluate female attorneys on their performance and leadership.
One of the most positive changes I see is that many more female attorneys feel empowered to speak up for each other. We recognize that there is value in using our voices to collectively support each other and to see each of us succeed. I believe this kind of allyship will continue to create opportunities for change in the microcosms in which we regularly work and in turn, in the profession as a whole. I am incredibly fortunate to be able to work with an amazing group of female colleagues and clients who reflect the future of this profession.
