END NOTE
Danielle D’Aquila ’12
PAYS IT FORWARD AS AN ALUMNAE MENTOR With D’Aquila’s insight, the Mentoring Circles took shape and drew enthusiastic participants from across generations and practice settings. D’Aquila, one of the inaugural mentors, was thrilled. “I realized early on that, to succeed professionally, I needed access to women lawyers who were willing to guide me,” she says. “Through the years, their advice has been invaluable. They have helped me navigate the imposter syndrome, set and maintain boundaries, identify and reach professional goals, hone my self-advocacy skills, and expand my internal and external networks, among other things. I’m so happy to pay that guidance forward.”
ast winter, recognizing the unique challenges that women face in their legal careers, a small group of St. John’s Law alumnae teamed with the Law School’s administration and the student-run Women’s Law Society to launch the Alumnae Leadership Council. Danielle D’Aquila, a partner in the Litigation & Arbitration Practice Group at Brown Rudnick LLP, was part of the startup team that brainstormed and crafted the Council’s agenda, including its pillar Mentoring Circles Program.
“I jumped at the opportunity to help get this project off the ground,” D’Aquila says. “After surveys and discussions revealed that students and alumnae alike were seeking mentors, I proposed setting up more intimate pods of alumnae who could meet to discuss important topics in smaller groups, so real relationships could form and folks could engage in productive and meaningful conversation.” To establish these Mentoring Circles, D’Aquila tapped experience she gained as co-chair of Brown Rudnick’s Women’s Initiative, which hosts monthly networking events, trainings, and other programs and activities for women at the firm.
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Today, with D’Aquila’s ongoing support, there are 10 Mentoring Circles divided across three levels of professional experience. The most senior circles are run by alumnae who have practiced law for at least 15 years. They mentor fellow alumnae who graduated from St. John’s Law in the last five to 10 years. The second level is run by alumnae who have been in the field for at least five years, and they are matched with mentees who graduated in the last four years. At the third level, alumnae with one to four years of experience mentor 2Ls.
Composed of two mentors and six mentees, each circle meets for six monthly sessions and follows a set curriculum, exploring topics like: owning your professional and leadership development; networking; having a life and family while practicing law; and executive presence.
As the Mentoring Circles Program enters its second year, D’Aquila looks forward to being a part of its evolution and seeing the mentors and mentees thrive. “Mentoring has a wonderful ripple effect,” she says. “I’ve experienced it at my law firm, and now I get to experience it as a Mentoring Circle Program founder and participant. I’m so honored and excited to help the next generation of St. John’s women lawyers navigate their careers and achieve success on their own terms.”
