via
Shutterstock)
Ed.
note:
This
is
the
latest
installment
in
a
series
of
posts
on
motherhood
in
the
legal
profession,
in
partnership
with
our
friends
at MothersEsquire.
Welcome
Jeanine
M.
Donohue
back
to
our
pages.
Click here if
you’d
like
to
donate
to
MothersEsquire.
We
are
often
taught
as
children
that
kindness
begets
kindness
—
and
that
it
costs
nothing.
I was
recently
reminded
of
this
timeless
lesson
during
the
Women,
Influence,
and
Power
in Law
conference.
On
the
first
morning,
I
was
in
Starbucks,
desperately
craving
my
much-needed
latte.
A woman
entered,
placed
her
order,
and
then
stood
next
to
me
while
waiting.
I
recognized
her as
someone
who
had
spoken
on
a
panel
the
previous
year.
Her
wit,
humor,
and
practical advice
had
left
a
lasting
impression
on
me,
and
I
remembered
her
well.
As
an
introvert,
networking
doesn’t
always
come
naturally
to
me,
and
I
hesitated
over
whether
to
speak.
But
I
decided
to
overcome
my
shyness.
Turning
to
her,
I
honestly
choked
out, “Excuse
me,
you
were
a
panelist
last
year,
right?
Your
presentation
was
fantastic.”
Her
face
lit
up
with
a
genuine
smile,
and
she
thanked
me.
That
small
moment
sparked
a
simple
conversation
as
we
walked
to
the
conference
together.
I
learned
she
was
presenting
again this
year
and
that
she
had
recently
started
a
new
job.
I
shared
briefly
about
my
own
practice
and
my
hopes
for
the
conference.
Later,
I
attended
her
presentation,
and
she
knocked
it
out
of
the
park.
At
the
start,
she mentioned
that
someone
had
praised
her
for
her
previous
presentation
that
morning
—
words
that
boosted
her
confidence
and
energized
her
for
her
own
performance.
That
acknowledgment,
coming
from
a
stranger
over
coffee,
had
made
a
real
difference
in
her
demeanor
and
motivation.
Reflecting
on
that
day,
I
felt
a
warm
sense
of
connection
and
realization:
just
a
few
sincere
words
can
have
a
profound
and
lasting
impact
on
someone
else’s
confidence
and
day. Small
acts
of
kindness
ripple
outward,
creating
positivity
that
benefits
everyone
involved.
To
my
surprise,
later
that
evening,
my
new
acquaintance
posted
on
LinkedIn
about
her presentation
—
and
she
tagged
me.
She
is
a
highly
respected,
nationally
recognized
general counsel.
She
didn’t
need
to
tag
me,
yet
she
chose
to
do
so
—
an
act
of
kindness
that
cost her
nothing
but
meant
everything.
Her
gesture
was
both
empowering
and
uplifting,
a reminder
of
how
promoting
and
lifting
others
up
is
a
simple
act
with
profound
effects.
The
Lesson
Here
Promoting
and
encouraging
others
is
free
—
yet
priceless.
A
kind
word,
a simple
compliment,
or
a
moment
of
recognition
can
inspire
confidence,
strengthen relationships,
and
foster
a
culture
of
support.
Kindness
costs
nothing
but
can
create
ripples of
positivity
that
last
far
beyond
the
moment.
Always
remember:
kindness
begets
kindness, and
it’s
the
small
acts
that
often
make
the
biggest
difference.
Jeanine
M.
Donohue
is
a
member
of
Buchalter’s
Litigation
Practice
Group
and
Wineries,
Vineyards
and
Breweries
Practice
Group.
She
practices
in
the
firm’s
St.
Helena
and
San
Francisco
offices.
With
over
30
years
of
experience,
Jeanine
is
a
big
picture
strategist
who
quickly
appreciates
the
30,000
foot
major
issues,
while
also
being
attentive
to
the
nuances
and
important
details
of
each
matter
she
handles.
Jeanine
maintains
a
broad
litigation
practice
that
includes
insurance
recovery,
commercial,
real
estate
and
products
liability.
Since
2013,
Jeanine
has
served
as
Outside
General
Counsel
to
four
active
524(g)
settlement
trusts
with
over
$1
billion
in
assets.
She
manages
all
outside
trust
litigation
including
insurance
coverage
litigation,
bankruptcy
and
adversary
proceedings.