Sima Namiri-Kalantari

Farsi was my first language. When I went to preschool, I realized for the first time that I didn’t speak the same language as everyone else. During play time, I cried and talked to myself in Farsi on a toy phone. But I quickly learned English and would talk to anyone and everyone.

When I was in first grade, some girls told me to go back to my own country. I didn’t even know what country they were talking about! It is still hard to understand why children would say something like that to another child. I am thankful that my parents raised me to be comfortable in my skin and to make sure that I create an environment where others feel comfortable as well.

During my first year of law school, Crowell & Moring was one of the few firms interviewing 1Ls for a summer associate position. I walked into their office as a 1L thinking, “I’m just so lucky to even interview here.” When interviewing with another firm, the interviewer asked me where I was from. When I responded that I was from Los Angeles, they said, “No, where are you really from?” Comparatively, Crowell celebrated my differences while never questioning where I was from.

It wasn’t until I actually came to the firm that I had my first lawyer mentors, people like Chahira Solh. She’s a woman of color who came up in the firm and knows a lot about the issues that I have faced and that I may not even know about yet, and she helps prepare me for those. Seeing someone who looks like you or who thinks like you in a position of power is really inspiring. Chahira helped me get positions and opportunities at the firm that I didn’t think I was good enough for, and she’s encouraged me to do more and more.

During my time at Crowell, the firm’s leadership has created safe spaces for people to feel comfortable coming to them with concerns about diversity and inclusion. I know many associates are often concerned—can I tell someone? Is it OK for me to confide in them? Yes! And I personally have been a conduit for some of my peers to talk to management about specific issues.

I have two young daughters. Between the firm’s Caregiver Network, our ramp-off/ramp-on program that allowed me to ease back into work as a new parent, and my sponsors and mentors that always had my back, I have felt supported throughout my parenthood journey. With that support, I have been able to continue contributing at a high level while also focusing on my growing family.

I am very passionate about the work I was able to do in my previous role as a co-chair of the firm’s Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI). Through this role, I had the opportunity to interact with more people across the firm, to engage in productive discussions with firm leadership and to build rapport with clients who are similarly prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion. The firm is really interested in learning about the experience of women and is truly listening to our concerns. The power of being heard is an important part of moving forward, finding solutions and improving the experience for everyone.