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PROFILE
Profile: Lois Boyd, CAO, Fenwick & West LLP, and LAMA founding member and past president [by Regan Morris] Thinking of becoming a Chief Administrative Officer at a law firm? Ever wondered how one becomes a CAO? LawCrossing speaks with Lois Boyd about her serendipitous career path from paralegal to top administrator at a high-tech, Silicon Valley firm.
When opportunity knocks, Lois Boyd an-
ed an association of their own. They created
swers. As Chief Administrative Officer of
the Legal Assistant Managers Association, or
Fenwick & West LLP and a founding member
LAMA. The group changed its name last year
“My advice is to be opportunistic,” she said.
of the Legal Assistant Managers Association,
to the International Paralegal Management
“When opportunities come your way, go for
her career has flourished through a series of
Association, with the less catchy acronym,
it. Because you don’t really know where it’s
unexpected opportunities.
IPMA.
going to lead.”
Ms. Boyd, 51, initially planned to become a
Originally from Oregon, Ms. Boyd was at the
If Ms. Boyd hadn’t seized the opportunity to
juvenile justice attorney but realized early on
University of Illinois when one of her profes-
take the managerial job, she may have ended
in her career that she preferred management
sors suggested she become a paralegal to
up an unhappy attorney.
to the practice of law. Fenwick has about 275
see if she would enjoy the practice of law
attorneys, with offices in Mountain View and
before committing to law school. She spent
San Francisco, and Ms. Boyd’s job involves
12 years as a paralegal at San Francisco’s
ment than the practice. And that, in fairness,
overseeing administrative issues in all areas.
McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen (now
was based upon observing the practice in a
to law school.
“I realized I was far better suited to manage-
Bingham McCutchen), learning most of her
corporate law firm,” she said. “It’s not that
“I oversee all of the administrative and
paralegal skills on the job. She started man-
I didn’t find it interesting or intellectually
financial operations of the firm,” she said.
aging the paralegal department soon after
challenging or stimulating, but I recognized
“My career history is serendipitous, I guess
joining the firm.
that perhaps with the exception of litigation,
you’d say.”
it’s a pretty introspective profession. You She said juggling budgets and managing per-
spend a lot of time on your own pouring over
Ms. Boyd started her career as a parale-
sonnel was a challenge at first and that she
documents and writing and so forth.”
gal, and her first management job was as a
supplemented her on-the-job learning with
paralegal manager. It was during her time
management and accounting courses.
Ms. Boyd advises paralegals who would like to get on the management track to try to get
as a paralegal manager that she decided managers in law firms needed an association
“Once you get yourself immersed, you really
a position managing paralegals. And don’t be
of their own.
do start to learn and understand how it oper-
afraid to take risks or even leave the profes-
ates,” she said when asked about the chal-
sion to explore other areas.
The Association of Legal Administrators, or
lenge of learning to keep the firm’s books.
ALA, had a more narrow focus in the early
“And to be fair, law firms are not terribly
After 12 years at Bingham McCutchen, Ms.
1980s, and as a paralegal manager, Ms. Boyd
complex as organizations, as financial orga-
Boyd decided to do something completely
was not eligible for membership. The ALA
nizations. There are very few levers you can
different and accepted a job as business
was made up of the top administrators in law
pull. They’re pretty straightforward; there’s
manager of a Presbyterian church. She liked
firms then, although now the organization
just not a lot complexity to it, I mean, in the
the church work but after two years decided
includes paralegal managers and others as
scheme of the world, in terms of corporate
she missed the legal profession. When she
well.
structures and so forth. So once you get a
started asking around about jobs, Ms. Boyd
grasp of it, it’s?well you can learn it.”
feared her unusual two-year absence in the
Because paralegal departments generate
nonprofit sector would hurt her chances. It
revenue in law firms, Ms. Boyd and others
One day Ms. Boyd realized she loved working
felt the managers of such departments need-
in the legal profession but didn’t want to go
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didn’t.
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