On November 9, 2022, the WILEF East Young Lawyers’ Committee presented to a packed and engaged audience an exciting and impressive panel discussion, held at the offices in New York of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Garrison & Wharton, on: “Women of Color and Their Success Stories, Making the Most of Mentoring.” The structure was a fascinating one, presenting three pairs made up of partner mentors and their associate mentees. The discussion was riveting, and it became clear not only how to mentor most effectively, and how important having the right mentor can be but how connected each pair was to each other. And it also became apparent that each panelist is a star!

The audience learned of the close relationships between Laura Turano (chair of WILEF East Young Lawyers Committee) and Kori Cooper (both – Paul Weiss mergers and acquisitions attorneys), Matthew Goldstein and Mariana Cisneros (Paul Weiss corporate attorneys) and Deb Wong Yang (former U.S. Attorney – Central District of California) and Cynthia Chen McTernan (both – Gibson Dunn litigators). Each panelist was articulate and shared engaging stories and valuable advice, and it became very clear how each pair of mentors/mentees were devoted to each other. The discussion was artfully moderated by Jennifer H. Wu, a litigation partner at Paul Weiss.

Valerie E. Radwaner (Deputy Chair of Paul Weiss and Member, WILEF Global Advisory Board) provided a warm welcome to the audience, which enjoyed a generous and delicious breakfast.

Everyone who attended agreed that this was an outstanding WILEF event.

With thanks to Shira Nadich Levin, Partner, Cooley and Deputy Global Chair, WILEF Young Lawyers Committees, for this recap.