SEPTEMBER 12-18, 2008
Gwendolyn Payton didn’t have to look
far to find her first career mentors. They
are her father, now a retired college professor, and her mother, a music teacher and
violinist.
“They instilled in me that there is a lot
of joy that comes from having a variety
of things to do at any one time, and doing
them well,” said Payton, a shareholder at
Lane Powell PC, in Seattle, and chair of the
firm’s class action group.
Finding and then learning from good
mentors is something Payton believes is
key to success in a career and life.
“For me, mentoring has made all the
difference,” she said. “One of the best things
I did was to seek out people with great
integrity and great ethics from all walks of
life, races, ages and genders.”
After earning an art degree from the University of Chicago, Payton shifted gears
and pursued a law degree at the University
of Michigan Law School because she found
law academically interesting.
Now a commercial litigator with a
national practice, Payton said she enjoys
business law because she likes being part of
solutions to problems that allow businesses
to do what they do better.
“I usually see people in crisis because I
am a litigator. I deal with things that didn’t
go right,” she said. “To be able to solve
those things, to be part of the success of a
business, is really a very satisfying thing
for me.”
Payton, 36, said she also enjoys interacting with clients, witnesses and the community, which is also a big part of her work at
Lane Powell.
“It’s the energy that keeps it fresh and
exciting for me,” Payton said. “I lucked
into having a career suited for my personality, which is high energy, active and multidisciplinary.”
Service to community is another thing
she learned from her first mentors, her
parents. She tries to give 20 percent of her
practice time to clients who can’t afford to
S U P P L E M E N T T O T H E P U G E T S O U N D B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L • S E P T E M B E R 1 2 -1 8 , 2 0 0 8
P
GWENDOLYN
AYTON
Word that best describes you:
ASSIDUOUS
S
SHAREHOLDER
Lane Powell PC
Gwendolyn
spends about
20 percent of
her professional time
working for
the underserved. This
pro bono
client, seen
here in a childhood photo and who is now 34 years old, is on death row in a
Louisiana prison. “Regardless of your thoughts on the death penalty, everyone on
death row deserves a lawyer,” she said.
Gwendolyn
Payton
didn’torganizahave to look
HOMETOWN:
Vancouver,
British
pay or to
community
nonprofit
HOMETOWN: Vancouver,
British
far to find serving
her firstascareer
mentors.
Columbia,
Columbia,Canada
Canada
tions, including
a director
of theThey
her father,
nowfor
a retired
college
FAMILY
Married
Boyer are
Children’s
Clinic
children
with proFAMILYSTATUS:
STATUS: Married
fessor, and her mother, a music teacher
BOOK
ON
YOUR
NIGHTSTAND:
developmental
delays.
BOOK ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND:
and violinist.
“Heartsick,” by my high school friend
Payton“They
fits ainstilled
hectic inwork
andthere
travel
me that
is a lot “Heartsick,” by my high school
Chelsea Cain
schedule
around
beingfrom
a mother
two of friend Chelsea Cain
of joy
that comes
having to
a variety
MOST EMBARRASSING CD YOU
to do
at any oneson
time,
youngthings
children,
a 4-year-old
andand
a 2-doing
MOST
EMBARRASSING
YOU sounds
OWN:
I have
one of theCD
whale
them
well,” said
a shareholder
OWN: I have one of the whale
year-old
daughter.
She Payton,
has managed
so far at
with flute CDs
Lane Powell PC, in Seattle, and chair of
sounds with flute CDs
by taking her family with her when she PROFESSION
OTHER THAN
the firm’s class action group.
PROFESSION
OTHER THAN
makes extended
YOUR
OWN YOU’D
LIKE TO TRY:
Finding business
and thentrips.
learning from good
YOUR OWN YOU’D LIKE TO TRY:
“They
are such
a source ofPayton
energy,
and is
Egyptologist
mentors
is something
believes
Egyptologist CAUSE: Boyer
success
in a career
life.
PASSIONATE
focus key
and to
just
fun,” Payton
said.and
“They’ve
“For
me,
mentoring
has
made
all
the
PASSIONATE
Boyer
ClinicCAUSE:
— a nonprofit
therapy
made me such a better professional. They’ve Children’s
difference,”
she
said.
“One
of
the
best
Children’s
Clinic
—
a
nonprofit
and
early
childhood
educational
facility
taught me to prioritize and focus and make
things I did was to seek out people with
therapy
and early
childhood
serving
children
from
birth
to
teen
years
sure every
havegreat
at work
really
great moment
integrityI and
ethics
from all
educational
facility serving disorders
who
have
neuromuscular
matters.”
walks of life, races, ages and genders.”
children from birth to teen years
such as cerebral palsy or delay in
After earning an art degree from the who have neuromuscular disorders
— PAULA L. STEPANKOWSKY development.
University of Chicago, Payton shifted such as cerebral palsy or delay in
gears and pursued a law degree at the development.
University of Michigan Law School beshe
found©2008,
law academically
interReprinted for web use with permission from the Puget Soundcause
Business
Journal.
all rights reserved.
Reprinted by Scoop ReprintSource 1-800-767-3263.
esting.
Now a commercial litigator with a national practice, Payton said she
enjoys business law because she likes being part of solutions to problems
PRESIDE
AND FINANC
ADVIS
Johns
Scannell
Associa
Erin just got
his pilot’s
license this
year. “I
wanted to
do this all m
life,” he said
He admits t
training was
intense, but
he loves the
freedom of
his wife is a
thought if I
When
lived in
grade, th
tary fami
Wrong
Scanne
whose ca
quent mo
“It was
relationsh
little mor
The ex
for his fu
Johnson,
levue fina
with fina
“Growi
was reall
planning
everythin
“That go
planning)
After g
ors econo
with Ame
cial plann
$450 mill