Women’s History Month Spotlight Series: Aarushi Kaul

As part of our Women’s History Month celebration, we’ve asked our colleagues to reflect on the significance of this month.

Cleary Gottlieb associate Aarushi Kaul shares some of her thoughts below.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Cleary.

I am currently a second-year associate in Cleary’s New York office, where I focus on litigation and arbitration. I was born in India, grew up in Melbourne, Australia (the best city in the world), and moved to New York to attend law school, which means my sense of “home” now spans at least three continents and several strong opinions about coffee. It also means I love exploring new places through food, travel, and language.

Has your identity impacted how you approach your work and career?

Absolutely. I think it’s easy to feel unsure about what the “right” way to do something is when you’ve grown up with so many different cultural experiences, but that can also be a huge advantage when you’re working in an environment that makes you feel comfortable enough to speak up and share your perspective. I’ve found that some of my best ideas come from combining the various perspectives of my identity, and, just as importantly, it has made me more open and receptive to the ideas of others.

What is your favorite thing about working in the legal industry, and why did you choose to work at Cleary?

What I enjoy most about working in the legal industry is that I am rarely the smartest person in the room. I always have the opportunity to be constantly challenged by and to learn from thoughtful, intellectually curious people, and that is exactly what makes it exciting. The practice of law necessarily implicates so many different ways to look at a problem, and diversity of thought really ends up being essential to delivering the best outcomes. 

I chose Cleary because I wanted to be surrounded by colleagues who share that same intellectual curiosity and global outlook. The firm’s international culture and the way people seemed to work together so cohesively (whether cross-office or cross-continent) stood out to me, and I was excited by the idea of being in an environment where unique ways of thinking aren’t just welcomed—they’re part of how we work.

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of their employer/firm. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.