An athlete all her life, Alexandra Pecora was always taught that ‘leading by example’ was often more impactful than the words one might choose. It was a maxim, in fact, that would guide her throughout her field hockey career from a young age straight through to her days on the pitch starring for the University of Iowa.

When her athletic career ended, Alexandra moved on to law school, and following her graduation she served as a clerk for the Hon. Darren T. DiBiasi in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County. And it was there where Alexandra witnessed firsthand how that tenet — ‘leading by example’ – mattered far beyond the field of play.

“We were right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was really an unprecedented time,” Alexandra said. “Judge Dibiasi showed incredible patience, poise, empathy, and this unwavering commitment to fairness. His patience was tested every single day. It truly was something so inspiring to watch and it taught me so much about this profession outside practicing law. He taught me about leading with kindness, leading with patience, leading with empathy and I take that with me, now, every single day.”

Based in Chicago, Alexandra serves as an attorney in Goldberg Segalla’s Product Liability and Management and Professional Liability practice groups, counseling and defending companies in complex product liability lawsuits, including federal multidistrict litigation and state court mass tort settings.

“I felt in my last job I was really pigeonholed into doing one thing. When I interviewed here, I said ‘I want to be exposed to a lot of different things and have a lot of different experiences and find my way and my passions through that.’ And I think GS did a great job putting me into a bunch of areas — from insurance to litigation to construction to professional malpractice. I am really grateful for that. At this stage in my career, I really just want to learn about everything, but I’ve honed-in on product liability and toxic exposure-type cases, which I really enjoy doing.”

Alexandra said what she particularly enjoys is taking on hard legal research questions involving novel aspects and then working to find creative solutions for her clients.

“The client is the expert on their industry and it’s our job and our responsibility as attorneys to really listen,” Alexandra said. “We’re here to help and serve them. So, we really need to listen with an open ear, create a dialogue, and ask good and thoughtful questions to solve whatever legal problem they’re having, not only intelligently, but also collaboratively.”

When it comes to client service, Alexandra said, she finds it important to step back and be mindful of the way in which relationships are built and maintained.

“It’s really easy to get lost in a lot of extraneous things. As attorneys, we’re dealing with a lot every day — dealing with a lot of people and a lot of personalities. Leading with empathy and kindness and really listening is crucial to understanding the client’s needs. In building trust in any relationship, especially a client relationship, the cornerstone is open and honest dialogue from the very beginning. Not being afraid to have a difficult conversation with a client shows our clients that we care about them, that we’re diligent in our work and our service to them. At GS, we have very good client service and very good client outcomes. At the end of the day, listening and being collaborative, and being kind and empathetic, I think, is what sets me apart and sets Goldberg Segalla apart.”

Also setting Goldberg Segalla apart is its unyielding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, fostering an environment in which attorneys from underrepresented and marginalized communities are provided opportunities to advance in the profession and a voice in decision-making at the highest level.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t touch on the current state of the LGBTQ+ community today as a whole and if I wasn’t completely candid that it is a challenging time for some people. I do believe that as an attorney, and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have a responsibility to our community to lead in my profession, and my personal life, from a place of empathy and from a place of kindness and hope,” said Alexandra, who while at the University of Iowa served as president of the OutLaws, a nationally known student-run LGBTQ+ advocacy organization.

“There are so many wonderful and beautiful people that comprise the LGBTQ+ community and its allies, and I think Pride Month is an awesome opportunity and a beautiful place from which to really celebrate everybody. I think reassuring somebody out there who is struggling that there’s a community here for them and that they don’t have to do this alone — it’s something that I wish I had in my own story. You don’t have to do this alone. That’s why Pride is so important. Visibility is everything.”

Ensuring people feel seen — and heard — lies at the heart of Alexandra’s work.

“It’s hard as an attorney to be able to really take a step back. But I think being really mindful and thinking and reflecting on my work in the big picture, and reminding myself why I became an attorney and being able to see the impact I’m having here at GS and the real-world impact of my work, is a very powerful motivator,” she said.

So, too, are the words spoken to her by Judge DiBiasi as she completed her clerkship and prepared to begin her legal career.

“Right before I left, he said to me, ‘You know, no matter what happens in your life and your career and in your relationships, always keep a sense of righteousness and justice and empathy as your guiding principle.’ I really take that to heart with everything I do.”