WunderGlo's First Speaking Engagement

Last night, I printed out my speech, read through it a couple of times, got my fanciest pinstripe suit on, and headed to Southwestern Law School. The reason? I had been invited by Ms.JD -- a non-profit national organization dedicated to the success of women in the legal profession and law school -- to deliver remarks at the group's 4th annual conference. My good friend from Stanford Law School, Elizabeth, is heavily involved in the organization and was behind the effort to have yours truly selected as the keynote speaker. And what do you know, the Board agreed with her. It was an honor and a true privilege to meet the passionate and driven women that make up this group, and to address them as a speaker.

Here's an excerpt of my speech that was particularly meaningful to me:

When I first got my diagnosis last September, life stopped for a moment. I always had a treatment plan, and never feared what I might have to endure, but my life as I knew it had ended. My caseload went from overwhelming to nothing at all. Happy hours were replaced by chemotherapy sessions. And an incredibly busy, high stress, work hard/play hard lifestyle changed almost overnight into a gentler, healthier, and more mindful way of being. 

Before my diagnosis, I had planned every detail of my life out well in advance. By the age of 8, I knew I wanted to attend Duke University. By the 6th grade,  I knew I wanted to be a lawyer. And I met my husband, Will, on the first day of college. But once I knew I was battling Stage IV cancer, my well laid plans for career and family were suspended in mid-air. I was forced to reassess my life and determine what was worth fighting for and aspiring to, and what wasn't. 

My relationships with family and friends, of course, remained incredibly important to me. My health and learning how to take care of myself became a new priority in my life. Diet, physical fitness, meditation, acupuncture, reiki, and positive thinking all became mainstays in my life. 

And, believe it or not, my incredibly demanding job as a corporate litigator at O'Melveny & Myers factored in among the things I most cherished, and among the things I was determined to get back to as soon as possible. 

Why would a person facing Stage IV cancer, preparing for chemotherapy and another surgery followed by more chemotherapy, and about to partake in the fight of her life yearn to get back to the office? Why would the notion of getting back to work -- of drafting briefs and negotiating settlements and filling out time sheets -- excite and inspire me?

Well, it wasn't the time sheets that provided the inspiration. And even though I love the work itself, it wasn't completely about that either. The thing that made me miss that big corporate law firm was the incredible group of people that make it up. From my mentors to my colleagues -- many of whom are my best friends -- to the staff to our security guards, O'Melveny is far more than a law firm -- it's a family. We are people who have a vested interest in each other, personally and professionally, and we support each other in any way we can. After my first surgery last September -- when I first learned of my diagnosis -- my hospital room became what I like to call O'Melveny's Central L.A. office, as associates and partners from our Downtown and Century City offices poured in to see me and cheer me on. The support I always felt from O'Melveny only strengthened with my diagnosis, and the place I like to call the best law firm in the world proved to me that it was worthy of that title.

I mention O'Melveny not just to pump up my people, but to underline a very important lesson I've learned. It became clear to me when I first received my diagnosis, and has only gotten clearer as the days have passed and my battle has continued: Our community is the most important thing in life. The communities that we are a part of, professionally and socially, shape the quality of our lives.

I went on to discuss how I felt an instant connection with the O'Melveny community, and how I've tried to enrich that community since I joined the firm. I even gave a little advice, urging my audience to find the right community for them and take it upon themselves to make that community stronger through their efforts and involvement. It was a pretty personal speech, and I thought I might be nervous getting in front of a big group and speaking from the heart about my diagnosis and my career at O'Melveny. But it was actually one of the most natural and rewarding speeches I've given -- and that's coming from someone who spoke at her high school and college graduations. 

The opportunity to share my story with my fellow women lawyers was truly wonderful and an experience that I won't soon forget. A big thanks to Ms.JD for the awesome opportunity. And thanks to my three nurses, Tim, and Sabrina for coming to the event and cheering me on. The good times are rolling for your pal WunderGlo these days, and I couldn't be more grateful.