CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
Yvette Ostolaza Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP HEADQUARTERS: New York , New York WEBSITE: www.weil.com BUSINESS: Law firm REVENUES: $1.228 billion EMPLOYEES: 2,543 Title: Litigation Partner, Co-Head of Complex Commercial Litigation practice, and member of Management Committee Education: BA, JD, University of Miami
Last Book I Read: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, by Sheryl Sandberg
My Perfect Day: On a beach with my family and friends playing
Interests: Snow skiing, traveling, and having fun
What does it mean to be a part of the fastest growing minority in the U.S.? My parents were teenagers when they emigrated to the U.S. from Cuba, fleeing despotism. They arrived speaking little English, but with a dream to be free. So many Hispanic Americans today share that dream, and it inspires me to see people with a similar heritage to mine striving and achieving. At the same time, our rapid growth means we have enormous challenges, and I am proud to have worked with organizations such as the Concilio in Dallas to help address critical Hispanic community needs such as health and education. How has your heritage been beneficial or helpful in your career and/or business relationships? Coming from a first-generation immigrant family, I learned early on that nothing was going to be given to me, and that hard work and time management were paramount. As the first in my immediate family to graduate from college, but with few resources to pay for school, at one point I was working two jobs while also taking a full load of classes in college. This prepared me well for the demands of being a busy litigator and a mother of three children. What are the major values of your heritage? How have they helped you in your career? The Hispanic community is one that often comes together in mutual support, and where those who have found success feel an obligation to create opportunities for others. I am fortunate to have had family, friends, and mentors who’ve helped me succeed. That personal experience has motivated me to be a personal mentor to others and to help develop and support initiatives such as Weil’s affinity group programs, which have helped make our firm stronger and more successful.
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