Success comes with a passion for life and, in interviews, it
pays to put your heart on the line rather than your resume.
Volkswagen, the world’s second-largest auto maker, has
admitted its diesel cars were installed with software meant to trick emissions
tests. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer has given VW until March 24th
to come up with a remedy for U.S. drivers. After appointing Elizabeth Cabraser
to the case it is clear that VW will not be getting off easy.
Even after a laundry list of prominent wins in court, at age 63 Elizabeth Cabraser is still interviewing. How did this plaintiffs’ lawyer land a job for
which she was up against dozens of competitors, that prescribes her to lead a
team of 21 other lawyers in a consolidation of more than five hundred law
suits?
Easy! Here are the three things everyone needs to begin
their journey of success:
1. KNOW YOUR CRAFT: Studying and learning will bring about
more than knowledge; it will inevitably come with a side of confidence. Be
intellectually curious!
Cabraser has made a career of suing big business and, after going against Big Tobacco, rose to prominence in the 1990s. She has distinguished herself with a
reputation for her encyclopedic knowledge of class-action law, effectiveness in
oral arguments, and ability to diplomatically manage large cases.
2. TWO EARS > ONE MOUTH: Let your accomplishments speak for themselves
– they’re loud, and they will.
Cabraser is soft-spoken and rather than reflect upon her many successes, she called the court's attention to the nearly 600,000 plaintiffs. Her eloquence and focus on the
clients contrasted with dozens of others who pitched to the judge that day,
bragging about their most recent awards and successes. One lawyer even stated
that “there [wasn’t] a person in the courtroom who underst[ood] cars better
than [he did]". However, Cabraser, a car enthusiast, worked as a
mechanic in high school with her father and once repaired and resold a fleet of
old International Harvester Scouts used by the U.S. Postal Service.
As one lawyer on the VW committee noted, “there are a lot of
egos sitting in that conference room, but hers is not one of them”. People want
to hear what she has to say; they don’t feel obligated to do so. Another
attorney who worked opposite Cabraser on a Toyota suit stated that, “Judges listen
when she’s speaking…at the end of the day she is rational, which you can’t say
about all plaintiffs’ lawyers”. As testament to this, Cabraser was not stopped
during her pitch when she went well past the two minutes allocated to each
litigator.
3. LIVE LIFE ACTIVELY: Clients and organizations alike want
well-rounded people in their corner. Something lovely happens when one is
fulfilled in life, and it’s quite charming.
According to the article Cabraser didn’t aspire to be a class-action lawyer, she was
interested in theoretical physics. A drummer, she enrolled at Berkeley’s law
school but often skipped class to tour with bands or play in gigs. While fame
never threated to arrive, she still plays and collects drums and has a stake in
two drum businesses.
Cabraser already had a full schedule when she applied to be
the lead lawyer in the VW suits but that didn’t hold her back. Outside of
court, Cabraser teaches law school courses on both coasts and sits on a
committee drafting
rules of federal litigation procedure. While we aren’t all lucky enough to
function without a full eight hours, Cabraser says that “[she] doesn’t need to sleep a whole
lot…if [she] gets four hours, that’s good for [her]”.
Next time you interview for a job make sure that your resume
reflects your accomplishments so your time can be spent talking WITH, not AT,
your interviewer.
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