Black History Month Spotlight Series: Whitney Dumeng

As part of our Black History Month celebration, we’ve asked our colleagues to reflect on the significance of this month.

Cleary Gottlieb associate Whitney Dumeng shares some of her thoughts below.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Cleary.

I am a global business advisor with a passion for guiding executives of multinational businesses and enterprises through transactions and high-stakes decision making processes. While I was in law school, I spent a semester in Hamburg, Germany at Bucerius Law School studying business and corporate law on an international basis, and domestically I obtained a certificate in business and corporate law in addition to a J.D. from Rutgers Law School (Newark). Those educational endeavors prepared me for practicing corporate law with an international impact. As an M&A associate at Cleary, I am able to live out my passion by advising on M&A teams for public and private companies with global operations and impact.

What does Black History Month mean to you?

Black History Month is a time to be intentional about reflecting on, and continually learning about, the ingenuity and contributions of Black people to the development of the United States and beyond and our history in the United States and beyond. Black History Month is important because the past informs the present and highlighting the contributions and experiences of Black people can be beneficial to many people, regardless of their respective identities.

Has your identity impacted how you approach your work and career?

Yes, my identity has impacted my approach to my career. For one, I am a Miami native of African American and Puerto Rican descent; having a multicultural background and growing up in the highly diverse city of Miami opened my mind up to the world beyond the area I grew up in and taught me the value of collaborating across cultural and ethnic lines. As a lawyer that frequently works on matters involving individuals from various regions and countries, I continuously bring an open mind to remain flexible enough to account for the varying perspectives provided.

Are there any leaders, activists, writers/artists, professionals, or family members who have inspired you?

I am inspired by the 44th FLOTUS Michelle Obama, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Oprah Winfrey. These women inspire me to be courageous and authentic, to live boldly, and to lift as I climb.

When you’re underrepresented in your chosen field, why is it important to have mentors and sponsors who are invested in you and your career?

Mentorship and sponsorship are important for anyone navigating their career and it’s particularly important for those underrepresented in their respective field. Professionals of underrepresented backgrounds need mentors to provide advice and guidance to them as they navigate their career and seek to move up the ladder, and they need sponsors to provide opportunities to develop professionally and to advocate on their behalf. The investment of mentors and sponsors in an underrepresented professional’s career can have a profound impact and be the key to unlocking their potential.

What are the benefits of joining an affinity group at Cleary?

My experience with the Black Affinity Group and Latinx Affinity Group has provided me with the opportunity to form meaningful connections with peers in various practice groups. With BAG, I particularly enjoy our bi-weekly informal BAG chats, which allows associates to have candid conversations about the professional and personal lives.

Are there any programs at Cleary that you have been part of that have contributed to your professional journey and feeling included at the firm.

A few months after I first joined Cleary, I was given the opportunity to attend a small group women’s dinner where I was able to meet and connect with women partners and associates across various groups on a more personal level. As a lateral associate who joined the firm a year ago, this allowed me a chance to interact with a community of women in the legal profession and cultivate connections early on in my professional career at Cleary.

What is your favorite thing about working in the legal industry, and why did you choose to work at Cleary?

In addition to thinking creatively and critically, I thoroughly enjoy the interpersonal and social aspects of working in the legal industry. At Cleary, the M&A group holds biweekly lunches, BAG holds biweekly chats, and the firm hosts bi-weekly wine and cheese receptions. Each of these experiences provide opportunities to relax and socialize with colleagues. I chose to work at Cleary for the opportunity to work alongside exceptional attorneys on matters for global companies and on cross-border transactions and for Cleary’s reputation of being a collegial and diverse law firm.

Is there anything I haven’t asked you about that you would want to share with the Cleary community?

Yes, as a second-year law student at Rutgers Law School (Newark) I was president of the Association of Black Law Students (ABLS) and I was recently selected by ABLS as an honoree at their upcoming 34th Annual Jazz for Justice scholarship gala taking place in March.