Leadership Spotlight

ALUMNAE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL LAUNCHES

When Rose F. DiMartino ’81 graduated from St. John’s Law and started at Willkie Farr & Gallagher 40 years ago, there was just one female partner at the prestigious New York City law firm. And there were no onsite programs to support women attorneys. So DiMartino found camaraderie and community through a social group called “Women of Willkie” that met regularly off site.

“It was great to be around other women trying to make it at the firm,” says DiMartino, who retired recently as a partner at Willkie, having built a successful asset management practice there over 37 years. “But it was still a lonely path. I could have used a forum to learn from others about things like the importance of getting credit for my contributions and how to understand the culture of the firm and make it work for me.”

With this insight into the unique challenges that women face in their legal careers, DiMartino was happy to help when Dean Michael A. Simons and Associate Dean for Law School Advancement Brian J. Woods came to her with the idea of forming an Alumnae Leadership Council at St. John’s Law. “They were looking for a person to take the idea forward,” she recalls. “I had strong views on the headwinds I and many women face in law and was willing, with the Law School’s support, to work with other alumnae to build a supportive community. Brian was instrumental in identifying a group of women who might be interested in being a part of this initiative and we were up and running.”

To frame out the Council’s agenda, the alumnae teamed with the Law School’s student-run Women’s Law Society. “I was so impressed with what the students had been doing and thought that this new initiative could be helpful to them in their transition to practice after graduation and beyond,” DiMartino says. After surveys and discussions revealed that students and alumnae alike were seeking mentors, the Council prioritized that support by creating its Mentoring Circles program.

Like all aspects of the Council’s rollout, designing Mentoring Circles as a series of six sessions for up to 60 mentees and 18 mentors was a collaborative effort. Alumnae taking the lead included Elisa Garcia ’85, Macy’s chief legal officer, Andrea Alonso ’78C, ’81L, managing partner at Morris Duffy Alonso & Faley, and Danielle D’Aquilla ’12, partner at Brown Rudnick. 3Ls Willow Stowe and Sam Gagnon, president and vice-president of the Women’s Law Society, respectively, marshalled student input.

The Mentoring Circles, which began in April, have covered a range of topics, including:

• Owning Your Professional and Leadership Development • Networking • Having a Life and Family While Practicing Law • Executive Presence

For Stowe, collaborating on this initiative over the past year has been a formative experience. “The Council has been an invaluable resource, providing advice while listening and internalizing student opinions and perspectives,” she says. “The Mentoring Circles provide an amazing opportunity for members of the Women’s Law Society and other students—who are often nervous about entering the legal field and unaware of what they don’t know—to ask questions and form lasting mentorship relationships. I’m excited to participate myself as we create this community of powerful St. John’s Law women.”

As she looks forward to the group’s activities, DiMartino sees an expansive future for the Alumnae Leadership Council in partnership with the Women’s Law Society, other student groups at the Law School—many of which are women-led—faculty, administrators, and St. John’s Law Alumni Association chapters.

“Our goal is, over time, to develop a vibrant network of young alumnae, mid-career alumnae, and senior professionals who connect with each other and with current students, sharing their multi-varied and prodigious talents and skills,” DiMartino says, noting that today’s law school classes are about 50 percent female. “As the Council offers support, education, and community, alumnae and students will build on their great St. John’s Law education and help one another grow into the leaders they are capable of becoming.”

To learn more about the Alumnae Leadership Council and opportunities to participate in, and support, its work, please contact Kala Andrews Giddish at andrewsk@stjohns.edu.

The idea came to Michelle Johnson five years ago. About a decade into a successful career as an entertainment lawyer working across broadcast and digital media, she wanted to connect with other St. John’s Law alumni in the field.

“I started with contact information for seven alumni,” Johnson says. “From that core group, in less than a year, we grew quickly and, today, we have over 50 members who practice in the sports, entertainment, and intellectual property arenas. There is so much individual and collective insight and wisdom to be shared, and I enjoy facilitating that exchange for the benefit of our industry, our profession, and our alma mater.”

Her experience with that practice affinity group, coupled with her deep commitment to supporting St. John’s Law, made Johnson a natural choice to lead the Law School Alumni Association. She assumed the oneyear role over the summer, becoming the first Black woman to guide the organization and its global membership as president.

“I was incredibly nervous when first I got the offer,” says Johnson. “But I spoke to a number of people I respect—long-standing Alumni Association members with a track record of dedicated service to St. John’s— to get their insight. Ultimately, I realized I could offer a diverse perspective and a fresh set of eyes and ears that could be leveraged to create a great synergy. With that possibility, my only option was to say ‘yes’.”

Johnson began her leadership term at a pivotal time, in the midst of a pandemic and as the Law School continued to examine, reframe, and reaffirm its commitment to being an actively antiracist institution. “I stand on a path paved by the great accomplishments, hard work, and contributions of many esteemed Black St. John’s alumni, Johnson notes. “It’s meaningful to personify the Law School in its evolution as an antiracist institution. Still, I‘m very clear that it will take much more than can be accomplished during my term to make the tangible, permanent progress we’re all hoping to finally achieve.”

As she contributes to that progress, Johnson draws inspiration from Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book about Abraham Lincoln, Team of Rivals, which underscores the importance of reaching out, listening, and asking questions. “That’s what I did with our alumni and student bodies,” Johnson says. “I connected with them to figure out where and how I could be most impactful.” She also reconnected with alumni who had mentored her, including Hon. Patricia P. Satterfield ’77, ‘05HON. “Watching Judge Satterfield and her service to St. John’s when I was a student was a key factor in my decision to become as involved with the Law School as I’ve become,” Johnson explains.

Leading by example is also a priority for Johnson. She worked with alumni, faculty, and administrators to present A Letter to My Younger Self, a cross-functional dialogue with St. John’s Law students about navigating bias and discrimination encountered on their career path. And, in the fall, she took the host seat for an episode of the Law Matters webcast, interviewing Dean Michael A. Simons about the start of the academic year and the unique challenges that came with it.

Now more than midway through her presidency, Johnson relishes the opportunity to help the Alumni Association build connections to, and pride in, alma mater through its many activities, including chapter events and programs. “The camaraderie and wealth of knowledge and experience that exists within the St. John’s Law Alumni Association is in an elite class all its own,” she says. “I’m delighted to play a part in amplifying the notable contributions our members have made in and outside of the legal profession. It’s truly an honor.”