The Road Less Traveled

Article written by Melania Wenstrup
In questo articolo Melania Wenstrup ci racconta del suo percorso professionale in USA, di ciò che ha significato per lei la partenza dall'Italia e fornisce degli utili consigli a chiunque aspiri ad iniziare una carriera nel marketing legale. Ecco il resoconto di un'esperienza affascinante che non tutti hanno il coraggio di intraprendere.
Ambra Di Tommaso

My decision to leave Italy and pursue a career in legal marketing has been transformative, challenging and has provided me with remarkable career growth. Leaving my family, friends and the place you call home is an overwhelming experience filled with fear, dread, anxiety and excitement. There is no single technique that helped me cope with my transition. Every person and situation I encountered were unique.

I had a strong interest to work in the legal industry and excel as a business professional. Before I left Italy, I began networking and contacting people from my alumni association, family friends and law firms. I left Naples and arrived in Wilmington, Delaware where I stayed with a friend. Through networking, I learned about the various career opportunities at law firms and after three months of searching I landed a position with Blank Rome LLP in Washington, DC.

When I arrived in DC, I was absorbed with my preparation for work; finding an apartment, learning my way around the city and exploring the neighborhood. I had little time to be nostalgic. I learned how to cope with the longing for home by keeping focused on my immediate goals and long-term ambitions. This experience has helped shape my character and been of great value to my career. The opportunities I discovered in legal marketing are complex, stimulating and very gratifying.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in legal marketing in the United States, I strongly advise that you connect with experienced individuals within the industry, anyone who is willing to share their experiences and provide direction. Get to know people and learn from them. If possible, connect with industry leaders. I recently attended a legal marketing mentorship mixer designed to share work experiences and form relationships between the less experienced professionals new to legal marketing and the more experienced leaders. The partnership between my mentor and I fosters knowledge, leadership, interaction and offers significant career development advice and guidance.

Read books, articles, newsletters, journals and attend webinars, conferences, events, lectures - anything that will provide insight and keep you abreast of the latest developments. I read everything. I read new books, journals and subscribe to magazines, looking for ideas and enhancing my understanding. I recently joined the Future Law Firm Leaders Roundtable; it supplies tremendous support, training and tools to assert myself as a valuable marketing resource within my firm.

Become a member of a professional association. As a member of the Legal Marketing Association (LMA), I am provided with a wealth of resources and industry specific knowledge. Make yourself visible in the industry/profession by volunteering for a committee and become involved with your local community. Recently, I became more involved with the LMA Capital Chapter Program Committee which handles every aspect of planning monthly educational programs in the DC area. Members take responsibility for managing programs and collaborate with other committees and members. Volunteering provides exposure and opportunities for growth.

In general, the best advice I can give anyone interested in pursuing new paths abroad is to be objective, have a vision, set specific goals and do something, even a small thing, every day to help you achieve your goals. Research and learn about your destination, job, internship or whatever you are pursuing. Reach out to those with similar experiences and connect with anyone who is currently in positions you aspire to be in. Be open to new experiences. What helps me stay on course is keeping a positive disposition and making the best of every circumstance.

Article written by Melania Wenstrup. Ms. Wenstrup is a Business Development Coordinator for Blank Rome LLP in Washington, DC. Contact: Wenstrup@BlankRome.com. Ms. Wenstrup graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business Management and Business Law. She has also attended the University of Maastricht, Netherlands, where she focused her studies on relationship marketing.