Tomi’s Career Story

I'm proud to be a Kirkland attorney because the Kirkland name holds so much weight and prestige. We do great work, and we are highly regarded in almost any room we enter. I'm grateful to represent Kirkland.

When interviewing in law school, the people from Kirkland let me know they were here for me in any capacity, even if I didn't end up going to Kirkland. They wanted to be a resource for me and have my back in any way, shape or form. After accepting, that remained true throughout the summer program and my time here — they still check in on me. Kirkland is truly a community of people who care for you, push you to succeed and always challenge you.

At Kirkland, I've grown through constantly being challenged and trained. When I look back at how much I've learned since joining, I see the importance of the opportunities the Firm provides us and how they are in line with what I desire for myself. I appreciate the ability to interact with clients very early on and work on deals where I'm able to get in on the action. I've learned how to strategize and push myself in areas that I didn't have previous experience in.

I've learned how to be a better communicator, especially the importance of communicating with a team. I've grown in my time management skills and learned how to find balance by taking breaks and making time for myself.

The open assignment system helps attorneys excel because we are in charge of our careers and development very early on. It gives us the flexibility to shape our paths and to try new things that interest us.

The pro bono opportunities I've had at Kirkland have been very significant to me. I was able to dive into pro bono work early in my Kirkland career. Being put in new environments, trusted to figure out solutions and able to assist someone who wouldn't otherwise have had help has been very impactful.

I'm involved in the Women’s Professional Network (WPN), the Firm's diversity initiatives, and I'm on the Associates Committee in Houston. My personal development from WPN has been focused on how to navigate the experience of being a professional woman in the corporate realm.

My involvement in diversity initiatives has provided very real, genuine spaces for me, which is something that I appreciate and find comfort in. It's refreshing to have those conversations, to express myself and to know that, in many ways, I'm not alone.