Women of Legal Tech: Kelly Twigger

December’s “Women of Legal Tech” column in ALM’s Legaltech News features lawyer Kelly Twigger, principal at ESI Attorneys and CEO of eDiscovery Assistant. She is admitted in Wisconsin and in her home state, Colorado. Twigger discusses her career and how she works “double duty” with her law firm and startup company. Read the article here.

Women of Legal Tech: Kelly Twigger
Kelly Twigger

 

CODEX EXTRAS

Here are four more questions exclusive to CodeX:

Most important mentor:  W. Stuart Parsons (now retired from Quarles & Brady where he was a partner), gave me a model of common sense and practical judgment to emulate as an attorney. When I was a associate, he offered opportunities in practice that many lawyers would only dream of having.

Parsons taught me importance of balance, and the value of having someone to ask questions. He taught me how to interpret the intangibles, and gave me constructive criticism. Most important, he taught me what it means to have someone’s back who works for you. I made plenty of mistakes and Stuart helped me fix them without retribution or even a harsh word.

Women of Legal Tech: Kelly Twigger 4

Advice for young women: Be yourself. Pay attention; learn how to communicate with you colleages. Work hard, but have interests outside of work (even in the early years). Make the best decisions with the information you have. (Get more information if needed, otherwise trust your gut.) Be prepared — more than your counterparts. Smile. Laugh. Be Genuine. Relax. Make your decisions on who you want to be. You’ll regret any decision that goes against your true self. Love the law or leave it. There’s really no other way to tackle this profession.

Balancing tips: When I came back to work after my third child, a partner/friend asked what kind of help I had. I told her that I had a cleaning lady. “You need more than that,” she said, and she was right. Figure out what you need and get it, whether it’s a nanny, emergency backup childcare, a grandparent or a meal service — just do it. Maintain a sense of humor. Keeping wine on hand helps too.

Favorite charities: 1) Planned Parenthood. I represented Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin for many years and support it’s vision to provide reproductive healthcare for women. 2) Doctors Without Borders. We have it good in the United States. Other countries don’t.  3) Charity Water. I learned about this by my daughter’s sixth grade Human Rights project.

 

Cover image: Clipart.com
Photos courtesy of Kelly Twigger. (Darren Mahuron/Summit Studios.)
Label courtesy of eDiscovery Assistant.

Compiled by Monica Bay, a CodeX Fellow and a freelance journalist. She is a member of the California bar. Email: mbay@codex.stanford.edu. Twitter: @MonicaBay.