"It's just an incredible achievement," said Lamm when speaking about the law students who are ready to graduate. "You obtained a degree that will permit you to impact people's lives and protect their legal rights – the most powerful weapon anyone can have."
Since graduating from Miami Law in 1973, Lamm has mastered the craft of lawyering – a delicate balance between making your mark and making the right connections.
"All throughout my career, from the very beginning, people have opened doors," said Lamm from her Washington, D.C. office of White & Case LLP, a firm she's practiced at since 1980. Opportunity, however, is just half of the story she says, "you have to have a way to meet people and demonstrate what you can do."
This sort of active engagement is integral to obtaining every step of her success. Lamm has become widely recognized as one of the world's leading experts in international commercial litigation, arbitration, and trade. Lamm was named among the nation's 50 most influential women and the 100 most influential lawyers by the National Law Journal, the 2002 Woman Lawyer of the Year by the Women's Bar Association of Washington D.C., and one of the 500 leading lawyers in America by Lawdragon. Lamm is also regularly included in Euromoney Guide, Chambers Global Guide and Who's Who listings of national and international leaders in U.S. and international law, finance, and commercial arbitration.
While those acclaims are noteworthy, she was also bestowed with a high honor when President Clinton appointed her to the U.S. Panel of Arbitrators for International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), and later by the Government of Uzbekistan to the Uzbek Panel of Arbitrators for the ICSID.
She also owes her professional ascent to her great work ethic. "I hold no one to a higher standard than I hold myself," she said. "I work very hard to make sure I've done my very best job for any client that I'm representing and while working with any team of lawyers."
Commencement Speaker Carolyn Lamm to Share Words of Wisdom
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL 33124
305-284-2211