Women’s History Month Spotlight Series: Lisa Giambatista

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

Cleary Gottlieb legal executive assistant Lisa Giambatista shares some of her thoughts below.

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

I’m Lisa Giambatista, and I am a legal executive assistant. I am also the co-liaison for the PAN-WWG. I have been with the firm for 36 years.

What does Women’s History Month mean to you?

Women’s History Month is important because it empowers women by highlighting and celebrating their achievements in history, society, and culture, especially achievements that would otherwise be overlooked.

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

I find Dolly Parton inspiring. Besides being incredibly talented, I really admire her kindness toward other and her incredible philanthropy.

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?

Mentors and sponsors can help mentees make informed decisions about career goals, provide valuable feedback, and help create a sense of belonging within the workplace.

What are the benefits of joining groups that focus on women’s topics and issues?

Being in a women’s focused group creates a space for women to share experiences, discuss women’s issues, and provide opportunities to collaborate on projects of interest to women, as well as provide learning opportunities and a sense of community.

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?

From 2017-2019 I was a part of the Secretarial Steering Group, which was formed to help navigate the changing nature of the legal secretarial role within the firm, and ultimately the role transitioned into the legal executive assistant role. I am also a co-liaison for the PAN-Working Women’s Group, which I am very passionate about. The group consists of professional staff women in the New York, D.C., and Bay Area offices and is a great venue for us to network, socialize, talk freely about women’s issues that are important to us, and engage in community outreach.