Our Interview With Michelle Fabry, IP Counsel At Veolia Water Tech

Michelle Fabry is the IP Counsel at Veolia Water Tech.

Which barriers do you believe still exist for women in law, and how can the next generation of female attorneys work to overcome them?

While the legal industry has made progress, deep systemic hurdles remain as women attempt to advance—hurdles that require distinct, proactive strategies. 

Several persistent barriers continue to impede women's advancement. The authority gap is particularly insidious: female attorneys across all sectors are frequently mistaken for court reporters, paralegals, or administrative assistants, undermining their professional credibility from the start. The "motherhood penalty" compounds this challenge, as motherhood is often viewed as a liability rather than an asset—resulting in women being tracked into less prestigious roles when they take parental leave or utilize flexible schedules. Finally, a lack of senior female leadership in firms and corporate legal departments creates a shortage of executive sponsors who can advocate for and advance younger women.

To overcome these barriers, the next generation of female attorneys must adopt targeted strategies. They should actively challenge assumptions about their roles and expertise, advocate for transparent and equitable compensation structures, build intentional networks to access client development opportunities, and create mentorship and sponsorship systems that elevate other women. Whether in firms or in-house, progress requires both individual advocacy and institutional accountability.

Which qualities or skills set women lawyers apart in competitive environments, and how can law students begin cultivating those now?

Female attorneys bring real, distinct strengths to the legal profession—and these go way beyond what people typically think of as "soft skills." These qualities are increasingly recognized as genuine competitive advantages in today's legal market, and law students can start developing them right now.

Emotional intelligence is a real game-changer. Women tend to be naturally good at reading people and situations, which means they can handle tense client meetings, navigate corporate crises, and manage difficult personalities way more effectively. In a profession where client relationships are everything, this skill is gold. 

Collaborative problem-solving is another big one. Instead of just following a top-down hierarchy, many women lawyers bring people to the table, ask for different perspectives, and end up finding creative legal solutions that others might completely miss. Plus, this inclusive approach keeps teams from falling into groupthink traps that can sink a strategy. 

Women also tend to be really good at risk management and pragmatism—they're often more careful about weighing what could go wrong, protecting clients from serious legal trouble, while still finding practical business solutions. Additionally, many women are naturally skilled at juggling multiple complex demands at once, which is huge when you're dealing with high-pressure litigation or complicated deals across multiple jurisdictions.

Law students can take advantage of these skills now by getting involved in leadership roles that emphasize teamwork, practicing client communication and negotiation skills, taking on projects that require managing competing priorities, and learning how risk management actually works in corporate settings. By recognizing these strengths early and deliberately building on them, women law students can enter the profession ready to compete at the highest levels.

Which recent AIPLA Women in IP Law Committee initiative are you most proud of and why?

As Chair of the AIPLA Women in IP Law Committee, I am most proud the Student Spotlight Series for female law students that we started this year. The Student Spotlight is a weekly feature of a female law student to highlight their achievements and interests in intellectual property law, while providing them with visibility and connection for the next generation of IP practitioners.

What makes this initiative special is its simplicity and impact. By creating a platform for law students and graduate students to share their stories, we're doing something powerful—we're saying that early-career voices matter, that diverse pathways into IP law are valuable, and that the broader IP community wants to invest in their success.

The beauty of this program is what it offers students. Beyond the obvious benefit of increased visibility within the national IP community, participants gain something equally important: meaningful connections with practitioners, mentors, and peers who are genuinely rooting for them. They get to practice professional storytelling in a supportive environment, which builds confidence as they enter the profession. And they have a platform to showcase their unique interests and strengths—something that's often lost in traditional recruitment processes.

But here's what I'm really proud of: this initiative reflects AIPLA's genuine commitment to supporting women in IP. It's not just about recruitment or checking a box. It's about recognizing that the future of our field depends on amplifying diverse voices, celebrating the different paths people take into IP law, and actively investing in early-career development.

From your own journey, what advice would you give to women applying to law school?

As you prepare your law school applications, I want to share three pieces of advice that I wish someone had given me—and one mindset shift that will serve you throughout your career.

• Own your achievements. Women have a tendency to downplay what they've accomplished, using passive language or spreading credit around. Don't do that in your personal statement. Use active, decisive verbs. Your accomplishments are yours. Own them.
• Frame your unique perspective as an asset. Whether your background is in STEM, the arts, caregiving, or corporate finance, don't see it as something separate from law. Explicitly connect how those specific experiences have trained your brain to analyze complex legal problems in ways others might not. Admissions committees want to know what you'll bring to the table that's distinctly you.
• Define your "Why" clearly. Admissions committees read thousands of essays that vaguely mention "helping people" or "making a difference." That's not enough. Stand out by targeting a specific intersection of law and society that genuinely drives you. What problem do you actually want to solve? Why does it matter to you personally? Be specific.

And finally, be open to being uncomfortable and curious. You never know which way the legal field will take you. Often the path you think you want to follow in law school looks nothing like where you will end up. Stay curious, take risks, and don't be afraid to explore areas that intrigue you, even if they seem unconventional. That's where the real growth happens.

We're proud to feature insights from leaders like Michelle Fabry to help inspire women on their journey to law school.