Interview with Aliki Sofis, Co-Managing Partner of Quinn Emanuel’s Boston Office

By Peggy Brown

Women are increasingly moving into the highest ranks of major law firms in the Commonwealth. Aliki Sofis is the Co-Managing Partner of the Boston office of Quinn Emanuel and was recently interviewed by Margaret (Peggy) Brown, Retired Partner, and former Managing Partner of Skadden’s Boston Office.

Peggy Brown: Can you tell us a little bit more about your path to becoming Co-Managing Partner at Quinn Emanuel?

Aliki Sofis: I knew I wanted to be a trial lawyer from a young age. So, when I started my career, I was focused on getting opportunities to do trials and have “stand up” opportunities in court. And I did that from the beginning of my career in big law. I also participated in the Special Assistant District Attorney rotation at Middlesex County, where I got a lot of time and reps in the courtroom—a place where you have to be very quick on your feet.

A pivotal decision in my career came for me in early 2018, when Quinn Emanuel opened its doors in Boston. I had to decide whether I would continue where I was and where I was very happy, or if I was going to make the shift to join Quinn. I think I was the fifth attorney to join Quinn Emanuel Boston, and I trusted my instincts that it was the right move for my career. Once I got here, I focused intentionally on fostering relationships across the firm and ensuring that we were results-driven for our clients, all while getting ourselves on the map as a powerhouse litigation shop in Boston. Ultimately, being respected as a substantive courtroom advocate, coupled with my strong relationships internally and externally, is what I think contributed to my being promoted to Co-Managing Partner here.

Peggy Brown: Can you think of a lesson that you’ve learned over time that continues to shape how you lead and practice?

Aliki Sofis: I have two lessons or guideposts that I’ve followed throughout my career. One is to be authentic. I believe people are naturally attracted to individuals who are their authentic selves; figuring out your own style is part of that as you’re going through the ranks as a young lawyer and beyond. The thing I’m proudest of in my career is that I’ve always, always been myself. I didn’t grow up with people in my family as lawyers or anybody who had any real connections or relationships in the business or legal world. I really did have to forge my path with a blank slate. The other lesson that I’ve learned along the way is quality over quantity. It’s very tempting, especially for women, to do every case, to do every panel, every conference, every dinner, and I’ve tried over time to be more intentional about the things that I do, and to think about the quality of those opportunities versus just doing it all, which is unlikely to be beneficial in the long run.

Peggy Brown: How have you found the practice of law evolving over time as more and more women are in the field?

Aliki Sofis: Evolution in the legal field has been significant, but uneven. When I started in 2009, there were far more female attorneys at the more junior levels, and then you would see a narrowing in the pipeline when it came to partners or leadership positions at clients. But since 2009, now 16 years later, I’ve seen a shift with respect to that, with more female partners at law firms of every size, and also with more and more female entrepreneurs, business executives, and in-house lawyers who are in decision-making roles at clients.

Generationally there’s an uptick in numbers and a natural trickledown effect.

With more women in those decision-making positions, more women get opportunities. With a number of women who are either in executive or in-house position, for example, they want to see women on case teams, and they want to see women standing up in court. That contributes to the shift and growing uptick in representation.

Peggy Brown: Let’s talk about mentorship for a while. What impact have mentors had on your personal growth as a lawyer?

Aliki Sofis: Mentors are absolutely, critically important to how you develop as an attorney. Coming from law school, you don’t really get any hands-on experience unless you’ve done an internship for a short period of time. There’s nothing like real-world experience with somebody who has done it for a longer time and is willing to sit down with you and dedicate the time to show you how something is done, explain why it’s strategically done that way, and take an interest in your career, both as a professional and personally. I’ve been lucky that I’ve had a number of substantive and business-minded mentors throughout my career.

Peggy Brown: How do you approach mentorship?

Aliki Sofis: When I’m mentoring associates and other lawyers, particularly women, I tell them to focus on finding their people and building a fan base. There are a few components to that from my perspective. There’s the traditional mentor who takes an interest in your career and helps to foster your skillset and helps develop you professionally. Then there are sponsors, individuals who are going to be in a room that you may not necessarily be in, and they’re advocating for you to get opportunities that you’ve earned, promotions that you’ve earned, and therefore take on a different role than a mentor. And then you need peers, who are really important to day-to-day success—the people who are your sounding boards, your friends, your support system. In my view, you need all three of those components to have a successful, thriving, happy career.

Peggy Brown: What advice would you have for younger women who might aspire one day to be a managing partner or a part of firm leadership?

Aliki Sofis: It’s important to find ways big and small to stand out. And what I mean by that is when you’re on a case or matter, perhaps it’s becoming an expert on something specific, and fully owning that part of the case. Another piece is fostering your relationships and your network, whether that’s from law school or people you’ve met along the way, while having touch points that are natural throughout the year, so that you’re not making a cold call to somebody out of the blue. It goes back to being authentic—this is a relationship-driven profession, and people hire people who are substantively excellent, but who they also like, want to work with, and who they can trust. And finally, always be prepared. There’s just no substitute for being prepared when you go into a courtroom, a conference room, or a boardroom.