On May 14, 2019, ALM’s Legaltech news presented “Women of Legal Tech:  “Karen J. Pruitt, Champion of Both E-Discovery and Animal Welfare.”

Pruitt is a “regional sales director at JND Legal Administration.” She also helped President George H.W. Bush. You can read the story here.

 

 

CODEX EXTRAS !

And here are four bonus questions and answers from Karen J. Pruitt, exclusive for CodeX: (Stanford Law School).

 

 

 

 

First obstacle: As “Chairman” of the Wine Committee, one obstacle I faced involved a certain donor who was powerful, wealthy and influential. His controlling nature and negative attitude toward others was impacting volunteer morale and interrupting the fundraising process. I realized that he needed to change this dynamic. I presented the facts of the  donor’s behavior directly to him, with leaders of the organization present. It was a challenging and unsettling experience, but I rose to the challenge. The donor apologized, and the committee was restructured as a way to resolve the disruption.

 

Secret to your success: Be true to yourself, trust worthy, honest and have a “make it happen” attitude. In addition, be confident yet humble. In our industry, there are many who “know it all” so you’ll stand out by being humble and having humility.

 

Favorite vacation venue: England has always been our family’s favorite holiday.  With my mother being English, I think that influences our choice, but it also never disappoints.

 

Dress codes? Your professional role is not your dating role. You are representing yourself at the office as a professional so dress to that expectation. Dressing conservatively in the legal field is an expectation. Few can veer far from this without becoming a topic of conversation. In the late 80s and 90s, navy suits were the norm, but today business casual has opened the door, allowing creativity and/or distraction. When in doubt, dress conservatively. At a casual function such as a picnic or summer outing, keep a professional appearance with a casual flair. People do judge you on your appearance first, and if you are planning to move up in the organization, you’d rather be remembered for your intellect than your clothing.

 

—————————————–

Cover: Clipart.com.

Monica Bay is a Fellow at CodeX. She writes the Women of Legal Tech column at ALM’s Legaltech news. She is a member of the California Bar. Email: mbay@codex.stanford.edu. Twitter: @MonicaBay.