BM&S Partner Lisa Black On Thought Leadership & Personal Development

Lisa Black is a founder and partner of Black Marjieh & Sanford, a 100% women-owned law firm in Westchester, NY. Black is an insurance and litigation defense attorney with nearly 20 years’ experience, and she handles litigation defense of property and casualty matters in both Federal and New York State courts, including trials and appeals. She was recently interviewed by Authority Magazine’s Chaya Weiner, for a piece that focused on thought leadership and personal development. Read the complete interview here.

“It’s always worth investing in your own professional development.” Black told Authority Magazine’s Weiner. “That is a good spend of your time, energy and resources. Widening your experience and professional network opens the door to new opportunities. You never know what will happen in life and when you need to move from plan A to plan B. Always have a plan B.”

Black shared her ‘backstory’, which included attending Yonkers Public Schools and having parents who were both teachers in the Bronx.  “My high school had a magnet program for Law and I was always interested in being a lawyer from an early age,” said Black. “I competed in a state-wide Mock Trial competition and was hooked. I graduated a semester early from high school and went straight to Binghamton University, graduating college in 3 ½ years.”

Black went on to talk about attending New York Law School in Manhattan, where she participated in a Moot Court where the final bench included Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. She was a competitor, and later a coach, for national Moot Court competitions while in law school. Black worked at the NYC Law Department, Office of the Corporation Counsel, right out of law school where she gained exceptional experience, obtaining her first defense verdict in federal court as a first-year attorney. She also served as an Assistant Corporation Counsel in the Special Federal Litigation Division.

After five years of heavy litigation and trial experience, Black went to work for a private practice firm and focused on construction law. Over the course of her private practice career, she held several leadership roles which included serving as Secretary of the USLAW Network National Construction Practice Group and Chair of the USLAW Network Women’s Connection Practice Group. She was also a co-founder of the New York Law School Moot Court Alumni Organization Support Network.

“I really enjoy serving as a volunteer mentor for both of my alma maters (college and law school students) because that feeling of giving back is so important to me,” Black said. In 2009, she was elected Fire Commissioner for a volunteer fire district, a position she still holds. She also volunteers locally as a certified mediator.

The interview went on to capture Black’s remarkable views on personal development and thought leadership. Black also discussed memorable experiences she has had as an attorney, including the time a plaintiff (perpetrator) who was suing the police officers she was defending tried to attack her during the second deposition of her career.

Read the complete interview here.