If you have read Malcolm Gladwell’s book: The Tipping Point, you know he writes about “connectors”. Check out this article to learn more. I’m a “connector.” I enjoy connecting outstanding lawyers and giving them the opportunity to help each other achieve success.

As you may know, for three years I hosted an annual “Outstanding Women Lawyers Roundtable.” Women I coached from the US and Canada came to Dallas and connected with each other and shared ideas on their careers.  I wrote about the first one here.

Leila Rafi is a Toronto Lawyer I coached when she was a young partner. She is with McMillan. When I coached Leila, she was by far the most enthusiastic member of her coaching group.

I first met Nevena Simidjayska (Veny) when she was a first year lawyer attending the Fox Rothschild orientation. She was just joining the firm’s Philadelphia office. Don’t ask me how, but I could tell during our short time together that Nevena had the “right stuff’ to become a future super-star in her firm.

I knew that both of these rising stars had similar practices and had many clients doing business in both the US and Canada. I believe the first chance to put them together was when one asked for my recommendation for a lawyer in the other’s city.

Since that first introduction, Leila and Veny have become friends and have helped each other develop business. I asked the two of them to share with you their experience. Here is what they said.

Cordell Parvin connected the two of us a few years ago.

That fruitful connection has been wildly positive for both of us in more ways than we could have imagined. We have been building a pipeline of opportunities across the lawyers in our respective firms on cross-border deals and issues.

How did Cordell know to match us? In the two of us, he saw a likeness in our personalities (tenacious and curious), passion for our profession (displayed in our commitment to the growth and future development of our profession), a drive to succeed (hard working and relentless) and kindness (empathy and the ability to build connections with others easily and quickly).

As soon as our paths were linked, we instantly forged a meaningful friendship and prosperous work relationship. Without hesitation we call upon each other for our respective clients and tackle challenging client opportunities. The fundamental similarities in our character that Cordell identified allow us not just to collaborate as colleagues, but to also trust, support and cheer for each other as friends. This synergy has been invaluable and we are excited for everything that it will bring in the future.

We’ve enjoyed a great experience and highly recommend finding a lawyer in another city, or in our case, another country with whom you can develop a pipeline.