Partner Reflection: Schwanda Rountree
By Schwanda Rountree, Co-Managing Partner of the Washington, DC Office | September 2024
What makes me feel most fulfilled in my lawyering practice is positive and impactful change for people in the workplace. Working at this firm supports that goalpost. I have worked in the arena of workplace conflict for nearly two decades now – and we can never discount how important it is to serve as a voice for individuals who are attempting to navigate real challenges that impede them from thriving in their careers.
It has always been crucially important to me that I elevate and empower those who need it most. The public interest role that I currently serve in does just that. I often share that as a former news journalist, I have always been interested in individuals’ stories. The pivotal moment for me was when I questioned how I could go beyond simply sharing someone’s story. I wanted my career to be focused on leaving a positive lasting impact on someone’s life. Being a public interest attorney requires a great deal of listening and compassion. I believe my earnest receptivity and conscious awareness of conflict and the need to sort through those challenges for individuals led me to engage in public interest work and to this firm. Every case or matter that I lead or manage has a lasting footprint because it comes from a space of earnest passion and devotion. I feel especially fortunate at this moment in my career because I am now able to serve in what I consider to be an influencer role. After working many years as an attorney, I have honed litigation and management skills, specifically in the areas of employment and labor law that should be shared with the next generation of practitioners. I feel really good about working on cases at this firm that involve advocating for employees who have been discriminated against based on a disability, their race, or their gender, for example. These are real pressing issues that the firm has always been willing to tackle firsthand.
Everyone at the firm is incredibly dedicated to lifting up individuals who have been harmed. To that extent, I encourage and support lawyers at this firm who are just beginning this challenging journey of practicing civil rights law. I believe lawyering is very much a “pay it forward” practice. My alma maters instilled that in me at the genesis of my studies. This firm is incredibly supportive of my goal to mentor novel attorneys and provide professional development. Being a litigator is never easy. Many times, during those Herculean moments, passion, creativity, and dedication is what drives me. I have never become stagnant in visualizing perspectives, viewpoints, or ways to process information. Exercising that creativity in my practice here at the firm has allowed me to resolve some of the most complicated legal matters. I am happy to be in a space where I can exercise that, daily.
