SideBar Advisors

Andrea Rivers: Building A Career In Big Law Lessons for First-Gen Lawyers Starting Out

SideBar Advisors Episode 65

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Some career stories unfold neatly. Andrea N. Rivers story isn’t one of them, and that’s exactly why it resonates.


This week on the SideBar Advisors Podcast, I sat down with Andrea, an associate in the Antitrust & Competition group at Baker McKenzie, whose path into law has been shaped by grit, community, and a whole lot of real-life juggling.


In this episode we talk about:


 ⚖️ How she handled working full time through law school 

 🌱 The mentors who opened doors early on

 💼 Navigating career moves between Akin Gump, Axinn, and now Baker McKenzie

 🤝 Co-founding Black JD, Inc. to support first-gen and underrepresented pre-law students

 👶 Balancing new motherhood with a demanding legal career


For newer attorneys and JD candidates trying to find their footing, Andrea’s story is a candid look at the realities of starting out in Big Law.