GuyLaine Charles and I met when we started on the same day as junior associates in a NYC law firm in the mid-90s. GuyLaine became a specialist in derivatives and recently launched her own firm, Charles Law PLLC, to represent clients in the negotiation of financial agreements including prime brokerage, futures and options, limited partnership and credit agreements – in fact anything that might represent the “plumbing” that is vital to the operation of the investment world. She also has a particular interest in documenting social impact investments.

For a change in this series we examine the experience of diversity in the legal profession, how it has evolved since the mid-1990s and some of the challenges that all working parents experience. We speak about the impact of a strong and engaged manager, the enduring importance of inclusion and representation and the challenges and opportunity in striking out on one’s own.