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Law school: Willamette University Law School

Career highlight: Laney was the first woman to be named a managing partner in the 77-year history of Cosgrave Vergeer Kester.

Noteworthy: Laney taps into her own time and financial resources as a volunteer personal shopper for Dress for Success Oregon.

A decade ago, Jill Laney was a registered nurse working for the Oregon Health Division, where she wrote administrative rules in collaboration with the Oregon Attorney General鈥檚 office.

鈥淚 thought, 鈥業 could do that job and it would be an interesting job,鈥欌�� she said of the AG lawyer鈥檚 role. 鈥淭hen I went to law school and started clerking for a business lawyer. It was this whole new world I knew nothing about.鈥�

A 1993 graduate of Willamette University鈥檚 College of Law, Laney never did pursue health care law. Instead, she focused on real estate issues, including financing, acquisition, commercial leasing and commercial landlord-tenant disputes.

鈥淚 spend most of my time helping clients put business deals together, so I like dealing with the issues that come up, coming up with solutions and working around problems,鈥� said Laney, the first female managing partner in Cosgrave Vergeer Kester鈥檚 77-year history.

Laney is immediate past-president of Commercial Real Estate Women, and a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and ALFA International鈥檚 Retail Practice Steering Committee. She is serving her second year on the Board of Directors for St. Andrew Legal Clinic.

As a personal shopper for Dress for Success Oregon, Laney volunteers one Saturday a month at the organization鈥檚 retail store in Northeast Portland. There, she meets with women who have been referred to Dress for Success, and together they create a wardrobe for job interviews.

鈥淚 really enjoy the hands-on, one-on-one contact with the clients,鈥� Laney said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a rewarding thing to do because you help them find clothing, and they walk out of the store looking and feeling great.鈥�

Laney said that, despite a shortfall of time, mentorship and pro bono service remain an essential piece of her professional life.

鈥淎s we move through our careers, what we can leave behind are well-prepared people in our firms and in our community,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think as lawyers we have a lot of visibility and influence in the community. We should take that and use it in a positive way.鈥�