Shearman & Sterling’s Saralyn Cohen, New York-based Pro Bono Counsel and Director of Pro Bono, was featured as a "Voice of Experience" on The Glass Hammer, an online community designed for women executives in financial services, law and business.

Cohen believes having an open mind about where you’re working is one of the keys to career success. “You never know where you will end up – so take chances and be open-minded when opportunities present themselves,” she says. “A law degree can open multiple doors – so don’t sell yourself short. Take a chance and say ‘I would love to learn that.’ Don’t get too narrow, especially early on in your career.”

Reflecting on her own route, it’s easy for Cohen to see how each step she took built upon the previous one, eventually leading to her current position, which she has held since 1999. She says that if you had told her in law school this is where she would end up, she never would have believed it. “It’s too good to be true,” she says.

Read Saralyn Cohen’s 'Voice of Experience' profile on The Glass Hammer