In an article published in Law.com in conjunction with its “How I Made Partner” series, Bass, Berry & Sims attorney Courtney Hunter discussed her path to partnership and shared advice for associates to “not shy away from the challenging assignments or cases,” if they are looking to make partner.
Courtney, who has been with the firm for over six years and was promoting to membership in January 2025, began as an associate attorney and was mentored by her colleagues Jessie Zeigler and Sarah Miller when she first joined the firm and its products liability group. Prior to joining the firm, Courtney’s transition from student to practitioner was significantly impacted by the Honorable G. Murray Snow from the U.S. District Court of Arizona, for whom she clerked directly out of law school.
While navigating a young career, Courtney shared that she struggled with speaking up when she disagreed with strategy or wanted to share a different approach to issues. Her methods of overcoming this challenge involved an assessment of the value, consistency, and quality of her work to bolster her confidence.
Courtney emphasized that some of the most meaningful work experiences in her career were the unexpected projects she worked on. She recommended for young attorneys to, “Keep an open mind and be willing to expand your horizons.”
The full article, “How I Made Partner: ‘Do Not Shy Away From the Challenging Assignments,’” was published by Law.com on July 30 and is available online (subscription required).