Susan Pravda Reflects on Leadership, Risk, and Resilience – 'Trust Your Instincts'
Foley & Lardner LLP partner Susan Pravda writes on how relationships give her the resilience to keep reaching new heights in a recent “In Her Words” column with The Business Journals.
Pravda shared insights from across her dynamic career advising emerging companies and growing into leadership at Foley and beyond. She describes a chance encounter with a prospective client during her first day practicing law which blossomed into a professional relationship and friendship that has lasted over four decades, her role in launching Foley’s vibrant Boston office and service across various firm leadership roles, and how her approach to business prioritizes the people behind the law.
“It’s Foley’s entrepreneurial, collaborative, and people-driven culture that has kept me here for over 20 years and given me the runway to deepen my connections with clients,” Pravda writes. “Today, as a board member of multiple clients, I’m not just another lawyer in the Rolodex. I’m a trusted business advisor, in the room helping clients decide how to move their vision forward.”
Pravda describes her commitment to understanding clients at the human level, highlighting personal empathy and creative problem-solving during pivotal moments, from advising during family tragedies to navigating untrodden legal terrain.
“A client isn’t a faceless entity; it’s the founder, general partner, managing director, or executive, their families, their passions, their inner circle. That means the calls often come after hours, and the issues aren’t always strictly legal,” she explains. “In moments like those, there’s no playbook — you draw upon the trust you’ve built, personal empathy, and the ability to act quickly and creatively in uncharted territory.
Today, as a member of Foley’s management committee, chair of the firm’s Health Care & Life Sciences Sector, and a trusted board member with various clients, Pravda reflected on how taking the road less traveled has made her who she is today.
“I’ve had to adapt and take calculated risks, and if I could give advice to my younger self, it would be to trust your instincts,” she concludes. “Don’t worry so much about picking the perfect path. Instead, look for the people you want to invest in, the relationships you want to nurture, and the challenges that stretch you. That’s where you’ll find the strength and resilience to keep going.”
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