Catherine Faulk

I would attribute my success to hardwork, focus, and incredible mentorship. Like everyone who has embarked on their own professional journey, there are lots of twists and turns that can happen along the way. I was someone who chose to pursue a non-traditional path when obtaining my law degree because I wanted to support myself through school while also gaining practical experience within the legal field. This led to some really long days and some very frustrating times trying to balance everything in my life. However, pushing through those challenging moments and reminding myself of my bigger “why” allowed me to gain so much knowledge and make connections I would not have made otherwise. When thinking back on my professional journey so far, I believe it’s important to acknowledge all of the incredible individuals who chose to mentor me, support me, and continue to help me throughout my career. I wouldn't be where I am today without the guidance of those who went before me.

The best advice I ever received came from my former boss, who I’m lucky enough to still call a mentor and a friend. In essence, her advice was to never let someone else dictate your success. She encouraged me to be fearless in my own career and to show up for myself each day with 110% effort. By doing so, you ensure that, at the end of the day, you have no regrets and can be truly fulfilled by everything you have accomplished.

One of the biggest pieces of advice I would give is to find what you are passionate about and relentlessly pursue a career in that practice area. I feel that women are sometimes pushed towards certain areas of practice or to certain types of offices that others deem desirable for them, but what is really important is what you want. In the legal field, like any other, there are going to be long days, crucial deadlines, and stressful situations that you will face regularly, which is why it is so important to genuinely like what you do. When you are passionate about your work, you will be personally invested in your work and as a result you will be the most successful advocate for your future clients.

While the women who have come before me in the legal field have made incredible strides and have opened so many doors for young, female attorneys like myself, I believe some ingrained biases still exist within the industry. One of the main challenges I have encountered is that some people still don’t expect women, especially young women, to be primary leaders within a room, firm, or organization. However, there are also so many opportunities within this field, as new problems arise each day that need to be solved. It makes me very hopeful when I see statistics within the legal field that show women make up almost 60% of all incoming 1Ls, roughly 50% of law firm associates across the U.S., roughly 50% of all government attorneys, and more women are in leadership roles within their firms or offices than ever before.

Professionally and personally, integrity and empathy have always been core values of mine. Whether in business or in my personal life, showing up for people as I say I will and having patience with people are essential to establishing healthy relationships. The reason I became an attorney, and also chose to work in government affairs, is because I wanted to help people navigate their daily challenges and advocate for themselves and the causes they care about. In my opinion, the best way to do this is by providing people with the same transparency I ask of them and ensuring they feel understood, supported, and heard.