Stacey L. Pietrowicz was recently named Co-Managing Partner of BBA Sponsor Firm Sugarman. We caught up with Stacey to learn more about her new role, her advice to new lawyers in Boston, and more. Check out the full interview below:
Boston Bar Association: What inspired you to become a lawyer?
Stacey Pietrowicz: I have always enjoyed learning new things, solving problems, and helping people. Practicing law gives me the ability to do all those things every day.
BBA: You’ve worked across several of Sugarman’s practice areas. How will that varied experience help in your role as Managing Partner?
Stacey: All Sugarman attorneys handle cases in every area of personal injury practice. Representing clients in cases that are so varied forces you to always practice in the moment and pay close attention to the ever-changing environment around you. I believe that my ability to work in many areas at the same time will allow me to manage well and pivot when needed.
BBA: Do you have any particular highlights from your career that you’re especially proud of?
Stacey: I have represented many clients over the years involving catastrophic loss. We meet people when they are at some of the worst points in their lives. Helping them put the pieces back together in some way is incredibly gratifying, and I am proud that I have spent my entire career doing so.
BBA: What are you focused on as Co-Managing Partner, not just in the year to come but over the next several years? What are the priorities for the firm, and what opportunities or hurdles do you foresee?
Stacey: Sugarman has a storied history, and I have been fortunate enough to spend my career learning to practice law from some of the best attorneys in our field. Since becoming partner in 2016, I have played a large role in our technology and personnel operations. I look forward to continuing my role in those areas, and to taking on new challenges associated with running a firm in the modern era.
BBA: How has Sugarman’s partnership with the BBA benefitted you and your firm, and how can we continue to ensure that partnership remains mutually beneficial?
Stacey: The BBA helps to bring Sugarman together with other firms in Boston who do not practice personal injury law, and gives those firms an opportunity to make connections for client referrals and for general relationship building.
BBA: You are an alumna of one of our partner law schools, Boston University. Do you have any particular highlights from your time at BU Law?
Stacey: I enjoyed taking part in the many development opportunities BU Law provided, whether it was the Moot Court program, externship clinics, or engaging with the top-notch faculty. I am still in touch with many of the practitioners I worked with or interned for 18-20 years ago, which is a testament to the connections I made through my time at BU Law.
BBA: What advice do you have for newer lawyers, whether at your firm or more generally, and law students looking to break into the Boston legal community?
Stacey: With probably very few exceptions, practicing law is not just a job, it is a career that requires passion and dedication. To excel you need enthusiasm for what you are doing—you need to care about each piece of work, each meeting, each phone call. Try to find a position or practice area where you have some level of excitement for everything that you do.
BBA: Is there anything else about your role at Sugarman or the firm more generally that you’d like to share?
Stacey: It always feels good to be recognized by your colleagues for your hard work, and I appreciate the opportunity to help move us forward.
