Choose to Challenge: Sara Suleiman

Meet Sara Suleiman


The balancing act of life and career goals will inevitably include points in which you are faced with significant challenges.


What have been the challenges faced in your professional career?

Throughout my career, I found myself in a few toxic situations where I felt I was undervalued. Those experiences ranged from name-calling to insensitive remarks about my religious beliefs. Thankfully, the positive influences in my career greatly outnumbered the negative, and it helped me gain perspective with respect to the views of women in law.


What have you taken away from these experiences that helped shape the person you are today?

"Looking back on these challenges, I learned how to effectively face adversity and to speak up in the face of injustice. The negative encounters helped me become a better lawyer and mentor for those younger than me. I know for myself, finding a mentor is one way I have been able to deal with professional challenges and learn to lead with positivity.

It has been a significant shift in our culture to see men stepping up to become strong advocates for the equitable treatment of women. At Dinsmore, I found a supportive team atmosphere and a level of collegiality that helped erase any bumps in the road from before. Most importantly, I’ve learned the value of producing solid work product and exuding confidence for the betterment of our practice and our clients.