Rachel Elsby Speaks with Am Law on Her Path to Partnership at Akin Gump
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Akin Gump intellectual property partner Rachel Elsby participated in a Q&A column with The American Lawyer on “How I Made Partner.” Elsby, who became a partner at the beginning of this year, discusses, among other topics, her thoughts on being a partner, the individual who had the greatest influence on her career and advice for associates who want to make partner someday.
About her promotion to partner in January, Elsby said she was “shocked at the number of congratulatory emails and notes” she received from clients and friends as well as from fellow partners at Akin Gump. While she felt a range of emotions, she said, “Making partner felt more like the beginning of a career than it did the culmination.”
Elsby said Judge Pauline Newman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has had the biggest influence on her career. She noted that the jurist, for whom she clerked, challenged her “to look beyond arguments as they were presented by litigants, to dig deeper into the law and issues, and to arrive at the right answer for all cases, not just any single case.” Elsby said Judge Newman “is a model for how to reach the highest level of your field with grace, respect, and humility.”
As for advice to those associates who want to make partner, Elsby suggested developing one’s legal skills, building relationships and identifying “what you do that contributes to the business of the firm and try to build a track record of accomplishments in that particular area.” She said it is important to be patient.
