Product Description
Abstract
Yoon-Young Lee was a young associate at a major Washington DC law firm, Wilmer Cutler & Pickering, when she first encountered Ted Levine, a senior partner in the firm’s securities practice. Levine was a lateral hire from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where he spent the first fifteen years of his professional career. The case examines Levine’s sponsorship of Yoon-Young Lee as a young associate at Wilmer Cutler & Pickering. The (A) case describes Lee’s relationship with Levine from the perspective of a junior associate. At first Lee tried to avoid working with Levine, but she eventually became an important part of his practice. The (A) case includes the views of several colleagues of Lee and Levine from the SEC and Wilmer Cutler & Pickering, several of whom were also sponsored by Levine. The (B) case provides a first-person narrative of sponsorship strategies directly from Levine.
The case highlights the difference between mentorship and sponsorship. A mentor provides informal career advice and personal support. In contrast, a sponsor provides concrete and appropriate career opportunities for their junior colleagues.
Learning Objectives
The case highlights the difference between mentorship and sponsorship and provides context around the development of working relationships between senior and junior lawyers in law firms.
Subjects Covered
Sponsorship, Professional Development
Setting
Geographic: Washington, DC
Industry: Law firm, securities practice
Event Year Begin: 1988
Accessibility
To obtain accessible versions of our products for use by those with disabilities, please contact the HLS Case Studies Program at hlscasestudies@law.harvard.edu or +1-617-496-1316.
Educator Materials
Watermarked educator copies for this product is available free of charge to educators and staff of degree-granting institutions. Please create an account or sign in as a registered educator to gain access to these materials.
Note: It can take up to three business days after you create an account to verify educator access. Verification will be confirmed via email.
Additional Information
Case Writer Q&A: Dr. Lisa Rohrer
Copyright Information
Please note that each purchase of this product entitles the purchaser to one download and use. If you need multiple copies, please purchase the number of copies you need. For more information, see Copying Your Case Study.
