Boston Bar Association

Lisa C. Wood – Foley Hoag
"I cannot think of a single accomplishment that did not involve a team effort. Working full time as a litigator while raising two daughters and maintaining an active commitment to access to justice issues through numerous boards and committees taught me the necessity of team work. I also quickly discovered that team work has many virtues -- better advocacy, more effective leadership, enduring friendships and that sometimes illusive goal of balance. While I have been blessed with many friendships from the many team experiences in my life, today, on the occasion of my 25th wedding anniversary, I raise a glass to my husband Peter Michelson (General Counsel's Office, University of Massachusetts). We make a good team."

Sharon C. Lincoln – Foley Hoag
"Being a part of a team is important on every level -- in family, community and professional activities.  A daily personal goal is to get my children on the school bus by 7:15 in the morning, which requires teaching them about working together to meet that deadline.  On a more professional level, a meaningful teamwork experience occurred in law school when I was a member of a student organization that was tasked with overhauling the law school's first year legal writing and research program.  We spent a year discussing and working out the details of the program and then the following year we implemented the redesigned program, with great success."

Melissa E. Sydney - Hinckley, Allen & Snyder
A few years ago, my husband and I signed up for a forty (40) mile walk to raise money for breast cancer care and research.  Every weekend, we would take practice walks together to build up our stamina.  Although it was a bit rough going at times, both of us walked all forty miles, which we could not have done without the encouragement and support of the other.

Jo Ann Shotwell Kaplan - Prince, Lobel, Glovsky & Tye
"I'm not sure I have ever accomplished anything significant without the assistance of others, so it's difficult to choose just one example.  However, one of my fondest memories of teamwork involves my 1986 campaign for Massachusetts Attorney General.  While the campaign was not an electoral success, a small group of dedicated campaign staff and advisors managed, on a shoestring budget, to raise important issues (principally in the environmental and nuclear safety realms), positively affect the agenda of the successful candidate, increase public understanding of the role of the Attorney General, help establish the viability of women candidates for law enforcement positions, and significantly exceed expectations with respect to both Convention delegates' and primary voters' support.  For me the campaign is a reminder not only of the outward success that teamwork can reap but also of the satisfaction that comes from being part of something larger than oneself."

Matthew Morris - M. Robinson & Company
"Our office has been working on a complex case involving the voluntary disclosure of foreign bank accounts to the Internal Revenue Service. In order to complete the amended tax returns and FBAR forms in the allotted time, our whole office had to collaborate to gather and interpret relevant information. We worked intensively with paralegals and CPAs, who charge about half of our attorneys’ hourly rates. By dividing tasks according to the respective skill sets of each professional, we effectively reduced a major caseload into manageable, bite-size pieces. Delegating responsibilities and working collaboratively on this case has enabled us to economically produce a superior work product without sacrificing commitments to our other clients."

Uzma Siddiqui
"While not nearly as daunting as reforming the entire United States financial system, I recently had the chance to organize and host a fundraising dinner for the flood victims of Pakistan.  It took careful collaboration with many people across many different industries in order to find the right location, speaker, and network to hold a successful fundraiser.  In the end, the event was a tremendous success and we were able to raise enough money to feed several families for over three months while they rebuild their lives. We were also able to build the momentum necessary to continue these fundraising efforts in the future, because the challenge of returning the victims' lives to normalcy will take years of sustained effort. The experience was incredibly satisfying knowing that we were all working together for a greater good.  That spirit of collaboration is a key thing to keep in mind during all aspects of resolution and is important to instigate especially as attorneys.  Even though we may be on opposing sides, we still must work together in order to serve our clients interests."