London firm’s only female corporate partner serves as legal role model
There were six miles to go in the 2019 London Marathon, when attorney Fran Spooner hit the wall. Despite all her training and preparation, her body was spent, crying out for her to quit. Her legs felt like lead. Her lungs burned with exhaustion.
But her mind refused to let her body give up.
She forced herself to keep going, focusing every last bit of energy, concentration, and will on simply moving forward. The final stretch of the race was a blur as her senses narrowed into a tunnel that only led to the next stride. She recalls a vague notion of moving. She couldn’t fully take in the cheering crowds as the course followed along the Thames Embankment, passed Westminster and Big Ben, ran parallel to St. James Park, and then onto The Mall before finishing in front of Buckingham Palace.
“I didn’t enjoy that bit at all, but I did finish,” she says of the 26.2-mile trek, which she completed in 3 hours and 30 minutes. “I said afterwards, that was by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It was very personal. It was just me.”
And Spooner has done her share of hard things in her legal career. As a partner at Marriott Harrison LLP in London, she’s worked incredibly long hours and negotiated complicated and challenging corporate deals, but she says all that is different from her experience running the London Marathon because at those times she has been part of a team.
But her mind refused to let her body give up.
She forced herself to keep going, focusing every last bit of energy, concentration, and will on simply moving forward. The final stretch of the race was a blur as her senses narrowed into a tunnel that only led to the next stride. She recalls a vague notion of moving. She couldn’t fully take in the cheering crowds as the course followed along the Thames Embankment, passed Westminster and Big Ben, ran parallel to St. James Park, and then onto The Mall before finishing in front of Buckingham Palace.
“I didn’t enjoy that bit at all, but I did finish,” she says of the 26.2-mile trek, which she completed in 3 hours and 30 minutes. “I said afterwards, that was by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It was very personal. It was just me.”
And Spooner has done her share of hard things in her legal career. As a partner at Marriott Harrison LLP in London, she’s worked incredibly long hours and negotiated complicated and challenging corporate deals, but she says all that is different from her experience running the London Marathon because at those times she has been part of a team.
Jacky Greenberg Vogt
Mandelbaum Barrett PC, Roseland, New Jersey
Mandelbaum Barrett PC, Roseland, New Jersey
What is your favorite famous or inspirational quote?
"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did backwards and in high heels."
"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did backwards and in high heels."
Coffee & Conversation
March 13th at 10:00 am EDT
Equity vs. Equality: How We Can Better Incorporate It Into Our Firms
Nicole Quintana
Ogborn Mihm LLP, Denver, Colorado
March 13th at 10:00 am EDT
Equity vs. Equality: How We Can Better Incorporate It Into Our Firms
Nicole Quintana
Ogborn Mihm LLP, Denver, Colorado
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Good People who Happen to be Good Lawyers.
It has been said that accountability drives quality, which is another way of saying that excellence and value are the twin yardsticks of the second pillar of Primerus™.
Quality is a distinguishing characteristic that is the product of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution. It is always by design and never by accident.
Quality is a distinguishing characteristic that is the product of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution. It is always by design and never by accident.
Changing the World in the Nick of Time
A club in which membership comes with strings attached
Globally, it’s a very exclusive club that counts nine nations, including one whose populace might as well be living in the Dark Ages.
In terms of landmass, the club members range from the largest in the world (6.6 million square miles) to one of the smallest (8,019 square miles), defying the age-old standard that size matters.
Population wise, the club sports the two most populous nations in the world (1.43 billion and 1.38 billion) as well as one ranking (at 8.6 million) with the likes of New York City.
The rush to join the club began in earnest after World War II, which came to a merciful end on September 2, 1945 when aboard a U.S. Navy ship anchored in Tokyo Bay peace was officially proclaimed.
In terms of landmass, the club members range from the largest in the world (6.6 million square miles) to one of the smallest (8,019 square miles), defying the age-old standard that size matters.
Population wise, the club sports the two most populous nations in the world (1.43 billion and 1.38 billion) as well as one ranking (at 8.6 million) with the likes of New York City.
The rush to join the club began in earnest after World War II, which came to a merciful end on September 2, 1945 when aboard a U.S. Navy ship anchored in Tokyo Bay peace was officially proclaimed.
Primerus™ Weekly invites different points of view
The Primerus™ Weekly welcomes letters to the editor and op-ed columns on timely topics or items of general interest.
Submissions should be limited to 800 words and must be timely, well written, and reflect a relevant point of view that will enlighten our readers. All submissions will be edited for clarity, grammar, and style. Anonymous submissions will not be accepted, nor will those that contain falsehoods or potentially libelous information.
For those interested in contributing a letter to the editor or an op-ed column, please include a short bio (20-30 words) along with your contact information. Submissions should be sent to Robin Lewis at rlewis@primerus.com.
June 8, 2023
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