Caitlin McHugh 鈥�12
Hometown: Arvada, Colorado
Professional title: Office Managing Partner, Colorado, Lewis Roca
Community involvement: Colorado Law Alumni Board, Colorado Lawyers Committee Young Lawyers Division Board and Executive Committee, Presidents鈥� Leadership Class Alumni Board, Child Advocates Denver CASA Board
Lives in: Denver, Colorado
What is your favorite part about your job at Lewis Roca?
I have two favorites: the people I have the opportunity to work with and the diversity of experiences I have had and will continue to have. The people I have the pleasure of working with include both my colleagues and clients. At Lewis Roca, I am surrounded by smart and interesting people who love to dig in and problem solve. It is such a pleasure to work in teams with these dedicated professionals who have trained me to be a lawyer, advisor, and advocate, and have provided immeasurable support along the way. I also enjoy mentoring and training my junior colleagues and am continually impressed by their perspectives and insights.
In addition to my colleagues, working with clients is an incredible part of the job. We have fascinating clients who work in all different industries doing innovative work. Working with clients, earning their trust, and often helping them through difficult situations is a privilege.
Relatedly, I love the diversity of experiences I have at Lewis Roca. Because we have diverse clients with individual needs, the industries I work in and the specific problems my colleagues and I try to solve are constantly changing. The opportunity to work with our clients, and learn their businesses, their industries, their goals, and their challenges allows me to constantly keep learning and growing.
What do you know now that you wish you had known in law school?
How important and meaningful the friendships I formed with my law school classmates would be. I鈥檝e heard horror stories about other law schools and the competition between students. My experience at Colorado Law was the opposite. I made many close friends during law school who remain best friends today. The friendships and relationships I formed in law school and have continued to nurture have made the profession exponentially easier and more fun. I know that there will always be hard days, but having a community of other lawyers who not only understand the hard parts but who are kind, empathetic, and fun has added so much to my career and my life. I love being a lawyer, but even if I didn鈥檛, I would love law school because of the friendships formed during those years.
What advice would you give to current law students and recent graduates?
Just because ours is an adversarial system does not mean that everything needs to be a fight. I enjoy my job the most鈥攁nd get the best results for my clients鈥攚hen I approach cases and issues as problems to be solved, not fights to be won. I have found that there are many opportunities where you can work collaboratively and creatively with opposing counsel to find solutions that are best for your client. Often those solutions are outside of the remedies that a judge or jury could award. When we as lawyers can help our clients get to an excellent (and sometimes unexpected) outcome, it鈥檚 a great feeling. Of course, there are absolutely times when you have to draw a hard line and go to the mat for your client, but even in those circumstances, remaining polite and professional and keeping the lines of communication open will almost always lead to a better result for your client and a more fulfilling career for you. And, do more pro bono work!
What is your favorite way to stay engaged with Colorado Law?
I鈥檝e enjoyed my time on the Colorado Law Alumni Board and look forward to staying involved that way. I also enjoy opportunities to interact with students directly. Coming to campus for mock interviews is a great way to engage with students. The law school also hosts a great picnic each homecoming!