Mohamed Ali ’11
Social Innovation: Founder of the Iftiin Foundation, which promotes entre-preneurship as the key driver of development in conflict-affected countries, including his native Somalia. Challenges: Youth in developing countries are often trapped in a cycle of poverty and violence. Inspiration: The success of linking youth with investors and training, because small investments can generate large human dividends. Advice: “Forge your own path and be creative when it comes to your career.” Check out his TED talk at www.ted.com/talks/browse.
Andrew Kang ’97
Career: The founder of Boston Professionals Counseling LLC was practicing law when he decided he needed a change, “a big one,” so he became a therapist. Lessons: “At BC’s Graduate School of Social Work, and in my own therapy, I learned the importance of understanding the self in its many manifestations.” Practice: Kang specializes in helping lawyers and other professionals achieve balance in their lives. Advice: “I always advise asking the hard questions like, ‘What do I really want?’ We are naturally good at denial and avoidance, so the work is in getting to that honesty. Once you do, things tend to clarify fairly quickly.”
Martine Arbuthnott ’08
Transition: Arbuthnott just started a new job as a compliance and ethics officer with National Oilwell Varco in Houston after three years as a Foreign Service contracting officer. Inspiration: A commitment to the principles of corporate citizenship, strong ethics, and a sense of civic accountability. Advice: Be proactive, flexible, patient, and welcoming to new challenges. Lessons: A targeted job search in an area you love will always yield better results than simply applying for everything under the sun.
Adam Gurwitz ’92
Location: Gurwitz lives in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he is head of international business development for the investment firm Equitas Investimentos. Career: From Thacher Proffitt & Wood to banking to investments and hedge funds. Lessons: Practicing law is transferable to other fields. “My legal skills helped me to transition to a business development role.” Advice: “Always ask, ‘What is possible in this situation?’ Things do not always go smoothly or as anticipated, but with a positive attitude, many great outcomes are possible.”
Dylan Hayre ’11
Specialty: A solo practitioner in Natick, Hayre founded Lawyer for Soldiers to help veterans who were “too wealthy” for legal services and too poor to afford market-rate lawyers. Practice: It runs the gamut. “No two stories are the same, and no two cases are the same.” Inspiration: Some regret about not joining the military and admiration for those in the service. Advice: Find mentors. “You cannot be afraid to ask questions. Graduating from law school is the start of a long learning process, not the end of one.”
Therese Pritchard ’78
Career: The chair-elect of Bryan Cave will be the first woman to lead the global law firm come October 1. Practice: Based in Washington, DC, she advises boards of public companies on significant regulatory problems. Goals: Deepening client relationships and attracting a diverse pool of talent. Advice: “It’s a tough market out there for recent law school graduates, but markets do turn around. Keep the faith. If you want to practice law, it’s still possible to have a long and exciting career.”
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