April, 2009

Meet Rebecca Pontikes

You are originally from, and went to law school in the mid-west. Why did you choose to establish your career in Boston?

I went to college at Tufts University.  I fell in love with the Boston area and decided that after law school, I wanted to practice law here.  I made it my goal to find a job here and return.

What is your practice area? What are your special interests?

Employment law, particularly sex discrimination, has been my passion since taking Sex Equality with Catherine MacKinnon in law school.  I now represent employees in all sorts of employment matters. 

My particular interest is in discrimination against care givers--it's often called Family Responsibility Discrimination.  It concerns women (and men) who are punished in the workplace because of their responsibilities as mothers (and fathers).  I'm interested in that type of law because it's the way sexism has now permeated the workplace--hiding behind seemingly "neutral" conceptions of motherhood and its compatibility with full time work.  I have been developing a practice in these types of cases, and I hope to develop the law favorably toward women in this area. 

You recently left the firm where you had been working to start your own firm. What led to this decision?

I never thought I would start my own practice -- I am not a natural entrepreneur.  However, I had been an attorney for ten years, and I did not want to be an associate any longer.  It was a difficult decision -- I had never worked for myself before -- but it was also liberating and empowering.  After I made the decision, I wished I had done it sooner.  I now can decide how to develop my career, what cases to take, and what sorts of legal issues to tackle.  I finally feel as though I have control over the direction of my career.  I could not have made the decision without the support of my friends and mentors (particularly those from the WBA) who were key sources of support, advice, and guidance.

How do you generate new business?

A mixture of networking, speaking on panels, writing amicus briefs, and volunteering my time to various organizations, chiefly, the WBA.  In my opinion, all these activities compliment each other.  Speaking on panels and writing briefs "forces" me to keep my skills sharp, do research that I otherwise might not do, and think about what the law means and what the best practices are.  It gives me something to offer the individuals that I network with to showcase my expertise.  By serving on the WBA's Board of Directors and as a co-chair of the Solo and Small Firm Committee, I not only meet others with whom I can network, I can also give back to the legal community and advance women in our profession and in society.

You have been an active member in the WBA since you join the Massachusetts Bar in 1997. How has this, and membership in other professional and feminist organizations, helped your career?

Feminism and representing employees to vindicate their rights are two of my passions.  By being an active member of the WBA and NOW, I could fight for women in the courtroom and also do work that advances them in the greater society.  The WBA complimented my chosen career path.  But, the WBA has meant more to me than just a way to further my career.  For me, there was just no question that I would join the WBA and actively work to advance women and feminist causes.  The WBA was my lifeline when I first started practicing.  I met my friends and mentors through the WBA--individuals who have given me valuable career advice, support, and direction.  The WBA gave me the community that I needed when I arrived here from Chicago.  It was my family away from my family.