Tushna Gamadia is a finance of counsel in MoFo’s New York office. Her practice focuses on all aspects of commercial real estate, with a particular emphasis on joint ventures, acquisitions and dispositions of properties, and real estate finance.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women who want to pursue a career in the legal industry?
Be yourself — work hard and strive to be the best you can be, but stay true to yourself and not to someone else’s idea of what an excellent lawyer, advocate, or person should be. Learn to listen carefully to everyone and let fairness and empathy guide your responses. In the end, being a lawyer is a privilege that comes with a great deal of responsibility and commitment to your community, the legal profession, your industry, and yourself. Do the best job you can every time for every client and consider working with as many pro bono clients as you can.
Tell us about a female role model in your life who inspires you. How has she played a part in the movement to achieve better balance for women?
My mother is an accomplished and compassionate doctor, nurturing mother, wife, and family member. She is a generous volunteer of her time and resources and became a successful entrepreneur at a time before women had the support and encouragement to take on all those roles at once and strive to excel at them. She has always been honest and fair, and she has never given up on her determination to not let gender bias or unequal treatment limit her capabilities. She is always seeking to learn and grow from every new experience and is always trying to help, heal, or nurture in any way she can.
How do you try to influence, join the conversation, or take action to build a gender-balanced world?
By being supportive of other women — whether they are co-workers, clients, friends, or family members — and by making other women feel heard, encouraging them, and providing them with whatever they need to help them on their journey forward. That means being there to lift them up when things are hard and don’t go the way they hoped and constantly learning from those around us, whether women or men.
Also, by continuing to participate and doing what you do without letting any negativity or challenges ultimately discourage or dissuade you. Challenges are inevitable and unavoidable, and it is your responses to these challenges and your refusal to give up that ultimately help you learn and grow, know yourself, and make any success worthwhile.
Read more Q&As from our global community of MoFo Women here.