Roselina D’Annucci: Real-World Experience Delivers an Edge in Modern Legal Practice

How does a successful, strong, and powerful woman navigate work, employee relationships, love, and life in a world that still feels uncomfortable with strong women? In this interview series, called “Power Women” we are talking to accomplished women leaders who share their stories and experiences navigating work, love and life as a powerful woman.

As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Roselina D’Annucci.

Roselina D’Annucci helps clients every step of the way. She works with each client to ensure the process is seamless and successful. She is an attorney who cares — about her clients and her community.

Roselina’s professional and personal philosophy includes a level of open communication that make a meaningful difference to her clients to which she dedicates her practice to.

This lawyer walked a mile or two in her clients’ shoes. It is her prior experience in the real world that gives her an edge over many other lawyers. She first worked as a pizza maker, then a receptionist for a pool company, a paralegal, a Partner in a Law Firm, Co-Owner of a Construction Company and finally an Associate Judge and Sole Practitioner at her Law Firm.

Although the Law has changed since Roselina’s early days making pizzas, her real-world experience gives her a unique perspective and insight into her clients’ problems and enables her to offer a blend of legal experience and business strategy to complement their specific problem.

Roselina’s family means the world to her. She and her husband Michael welcomed their fun and adorable son, Gianluca, on September 5, 2020. You will see millions of pictures of their son all around the office. As a working mom, Roselina understands how difficult it is to maintain your household, family, and work. She encourages clients to bring their children to her office during your visit — she knows how difficult it can be to balance family life.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

I grew up in New York — born in Manhattan raised in Rockland County in the Village of Haverstraw. The first thing I ever wanted to be was a teacher then a geologist, but I had to start working at a young age, 13 — anything extra I wanted, I had to go and work for myself. My mother was a single mom and faced a lot of hardships raising three daughters. She emphasized education and the rule in our house was “no grade can enter this home that is below an 85.” I quickly learned that was a lie. A “90” test score was the real threshold because she expected more from us and for us to expect more from ourselves. We were first generation children and were raised on a set of high expectations to succeed. As a child of immigrants, I often felt an incredible pressure to succeed to build a better life for my own family.

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

It is quite funny because I never imagined myself as a bankruptcy and foreclosure attorney. I always imagined I would work for a non-profit or as in-house counsel. I used to consider myself a “behind the scenes” type of person. Then when I graduated law school — there were absolutely no jobs. The economy crashed and I had no choice but to apply for a receptionist position at a law firm to get my foot in the door. From there, I realized that I was no longer the attorney that I thought I would be. I loved appearing in a courtroom, especially federal court. I loved the client interaction. My favorite part most of all is seeing my clients finally get the fresh start they always wanted. This alone led to my decision to stick to this path.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I began my career hitting the ground running. The day that I was sworn in the Southern District of New York Courthouse on the first floor, I had to walk upstairs and immediately attend my first hearing. No one knew who I was, and my case was called last because they were looking for an attorney and thought I was a litigant. I remember learning immediately that I need to make my presence known. I sat in a chair and thought what do I do? I did not say a word. It was the greatest lesson I learned early on. When you are first starting out, it is ok to speak up. I had to make sure going forward for each and every case — that I made it clear that I was an attorney here to represent my client.

You are a successful business leader. Which three-character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

• You must be a builder. You must be able to build a strong support team around you. As a woman who wears many hats, whether it be Lawyer, Judge, Wife, Real Estate Broker, Owner of a Construction Company and most importantly a mother, my position as the owner of multiples businesses, including my law firm, has allowed me more flexibility in my many roles while having a family. After COVID-19 hit us, my career that had once taken the lead throughout my life, was redefined by my priorities. I could no longer “run the show.” I had to depend on my team. Whether it was my law firm team or my team at home. You must find a way to lead the way and build a great team to be by your side.
• You must also be supportive. As women, we should support, encourage, empower, and mentor others around us. Think of all the things that you have learned from other business leaders and from your own experiences and pass that information along to the younger generation. Make their path smoother than yours. It pays off in the end. As leaders we must never stop learning. Through our mutual support of each other, we open up the opportunities to continue to learn and grow from one another. One mistake that I made early on in my career was not joining my local women’s bar association. I was in court one day and another attorney asked me to join the Rockland County Women’s Bar Association. She emphasized how supportive all the women are and that I should really consider it. I joined and never looked back. Without them, I would have never had the support or encouragement that I needed to open my own firm.
• The most important trait is authenticity. Build confidence as a leader by presenting your authentic self. There is nothing like being yourself in the workplace. Authenticity garners respect and trust from others. It allows you to do your best work. My clients know that when they walk into my office, they are coming to a space of honesty and comfort. They know that I truly understand and care about their problems because that is who I am as a person.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. The premise of this series assumes that our society still feels uncomfortable with strong women. Why do you think this is so?

Although a strong leading woman today still struggles for equality in the workforce, I am thankful for all the progress made by so many fearless women. In the past, strong leading women rarely saw real opportunities in leadership roles so women were basically forced to model their behavior to their professional environment. The result of this was women assumed “masculine” attributes to get ahead. This always infuriated me. I really do believe in staying true to yourself. The reason society still feels uncomfortable with strong women is because instead of us promoting the idea that women should conform to a workplace environment, strong women succeed by changing the environment itself. Then we have to ask ourselves, does society like change?

Without saying any names, can you share a story from your own experience that illustrates this idea?

I used to always believe in the “don’t cry” approach. Never let anyone see you cry, or it shows weakness. One day, I was in the middle of a consultation with a potential client that was facing foreclosure. She began to cry and to tell me about her horrible childhood filled with abuse and her journey and path to finally landing her dream job and divorcing her abusive husband. She really needed a fresh start more than anyone. I got up and hugged her and tears streamed down my face. I could not hold back. I was proud of her — and it was my natural way of showing it. After she left, I thought she would never hire me. Who wants to hire an attorney to win your case when she sits there and cries and does not show me that she is tough and strong? I was wrong. By remaining my authentic self, I showed my true empathy and strong understanding of her situation. She was grateful and hired me the next day.

What should a powerful woman do in a context where she feels that people are uneasy around her?

If anyone feels uneasy around you, always remember that you should never underestimate your capabilities. A woman should never play down their knowledge, skills, and abilities. As a powerful woman, you must accept the fact that women like you are just as competent as your male counterparts [in my eyes — even more competent]. At the end of the day, you have to like and respect the person you see in the mirror.

What do we need to do as a society to change the unease around powerful women?

First, society needs to recognize that we were all hired to perform a job and carry our own weight. We should never ask anyone to do something that we are not willing to do ourselves. Society needs to stop encouraging women to “act like a man.” You can perform your job duties and maintain your femininity. Find the right balance and just be you. Remember, a great leader is true to their authentic self. Also, I believe that women supporting women is a very important concept. Women in a male-dominated profession often alienate each other for one reason or another. We have a duty and responsibility to be a positive role model and mentor to other women. Help the next generation of women become leaders and to learn, grow, and remain authentic to their true selves.

In my own experience, I have observed that often women have to endure ridiculous or uncomfortable situations to achieve success that men don’t have to endure. Do you have a story like this from your own experience? Can you share it with us?

As a woman who practices in a field of law predominately ran by men, I do feel as if I had to work harder than others to get to the places I wanted to go. I also had to prove myself and my capabilities more often. I was often the only woman in the room, so I constantly questioned myself and my skills. People have also questioned me, even though my resumé was usually longer than the man next to me. I cannot even tell you how many times I have been told “Oh you look so young!” “I didn’t know you were an attorney I thought you were the paralegal!” or better yet when someone asks me “Can you ask your boss, where is he?” Meanwhile, I cannot imagine a male attorney being asked or told the same things. A word of advice. Stop calling anyone young lady. It is completely unnecessary in any profession. I have never heard an attorney in court called “young man” in front of their client during a hearing.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women leaders that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

In my opinion, the biggest challenge that female leaders face today is garnering support from other women. My advice to women is to support and empower each other. When I attended The Campaign School at Yale, I quickly learned that the mission was clear: increase the number and influence of women in elected and appointed office in the United States and around the globe. We as women leaders need to make our mission clear: to increase the number and influence women have in leadership roles.

Let’s now shift our discussion to a slightly different direction. This is a question that nearly everyone with a job has to contend with. Was it difficult to fit your personal and family life into your business and career? For the benefit of our readers, can you articulate precisely what the struggle was?

I became a mother this year. I always dreamed of having a family. Balancing this year was the most difficult and challenging adjustment I ever had to make. Due to my business, I was not able to take parental leave. I also am a judge and had to head back to my own courtroom. I had to appear in virtual court five days after giving birth. I had to learn and remind myself over and over again that I could be a Mother, Wife, Attorney and Judge. How to achieve this was the challenge and still is. I learned that I was not alone. I am human after all. Motherhood burnout during the pandemic was a real problem. I had to open myself up to learning from other mothers in similar situations. I had to reach out to my other working friends for support throughout this time. There are amazing online groups to help working mothers as well.

What was a tipping point that helped you achieve a greater balance or greater equilibrium between your work life and personal life? What did you do to reach this equilibrium?

I realized the power of saying “no.” I was always someone who said “yes” and was the first person to offer anyone help — this was in all relationships in my life whether it was professional or personal. I was constantly bombarded with other peoples’ problems, and no one sat to think for a second — do you need help? I had to create boundaries. Today is the perfect example. It is a Saturday — clients were calling my office. For what? I do not know. What can your attorney do for you on a Saturday that cannot wait until Monday? I did not look at my messages. Instead, I spent the day with my husband and son and planned our pumpkin picking day. By setting boundaries in all aspects of your life, you’re able to enjoy your career and your family.

I work in the beauty tech industry, so I am very interested to hear your philosophy or perspective about beauty. In your role as a powerful woman and leader, how much of an emphasis do you place on your appearance? Do you see beauty as something that is superficial, or is it something that has inherent value for a leader in a public context? Can you explain what you mean?

Considering my profession, I can tell you from experience that yes, your appearance definitely does matter. The judge, jury, and everyone else in the courtroom will take notice of how you choose to present yourself to the court. Your appearance alone can show that you respect the courtroom and that you are taking the matter seriously. That doesn’t mean that you have to wear a suit every day. Nonetheless, we should try to stay away from flip-flops, shorts, and tank tops. You want to present the best image you can as an attorney. I do not see beauty as something that is superficial, especially today. The beauty tech industry as well as clothing industry has expanded to be more inclusive and diverse. There has been a shift for society to want to include true representation and diversity in what we see as beauty. If beauty has any inherent value for a leader in the public context, at least now it will include many different forms of beauty.

How is this similar or different for men?

The idea of beauty for both men and women has continued to expand and become more inclusive. I am in full support of this and believe both men and women should break our old barriers of what we once believed beauty was. There is so much more than physical appearance. To me, beauty comes from intelligence, confidence and so much more.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are the “Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Powerful Woman?” (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. Have a plan — We learned during the pandemic that women have more complex lives than men. We often find ourselves as being the default parent. This can be exhausting and can sometimes cause enormous pressure. The once invisible and often heavy weight of keeping track of all the needs of your family was brought to light during the pandemic with the shift of women being forced out of work due to childcare shortages and shutdowns. With a plan (and backup plans), we can continue to thrive in our careers. Moms are multi-taskers, communicators, and are truly born to thrive and succeed as a powerful woman. We have to plan for the worst-case scenario in our careers as well. Have a plan to work from home. Have a plan to advance your career even if you are the default parent.
2. Keep learning — The best path to becoming a good leader is to always keep learning new things. It keeps your mind sharp, and helps you develop new skills or freshen up old ones. In order to face any challenges that may come your way, open yourself up to learning from other leaders and your team. Your physical and mental health will thank you. Put together a list of people who will be able to provide you with support and encouragement when you need the help. I had to open myself up to mothers’ groups to be able to learn how to effectively balance my work-life challenges. By learning from others, I found a way to keep my mind active during shutdowns and learn new skills as a mother and an attorney that I never thought I needed. I learned IT — I will never need an office IT employee again.
3. Practice Discipline — A good leader needs discipline. Developing discipline in your professional (and personal) life is an important to be a leader, and to inspire others to be disciplined as well. People will judge your capacity to lead by the amount of discipline you display at work. How do you demonstrate discipline? It is simple — always meet your deadlines, keep appointments, and never come to work late. This applies at home too. Try to implement good habits at home. I always wake up early, even on weekends to finish all my errands early so that I may enjoy my free time throughout the day. The early bird gets the worm.
4. Take on more responsibility — A great way to develop your leadership skills is to take on more responsibility. This is a great tool because an extremely important skill as a leader is to be able to multi-task. You can only do this by taking on more responsibility to see how much you can handle. You do not have to take on more than you can handle, but you do need to do more than simply what is covered in your job description if you want to grow. Stepping out of your comfort zone is the only way you will learn anything new and doing so will get you noticed as someone who takes the initiative.
5. Communication — A great leader communicates through words and actions. Good communication is a key characteristic of a good leader. Effective communication and effective leadership are closely intertwined. As a leader, you need to be a skilled communicator in all parts of your life — whether at work or at home. This is where you can bring in your great listening skills come in as well as your opportunity to express your authenticity.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

I met Associate Supreme Court Justice Sonia Maria Sotomayor at an event for the New York State Latino Justice Association. It was called Un Cafecito with Justice Sotomayor [a coffee with Justice Sotomayor]. It was a private, intimate event and I truly saw what a great leader, speaker, and authentic person she was. I would love to sit down one on one and have a private conversation with her. She has so much insight through life experiences to learn from. Like I said, a great leader learns from others. I would love the opportunity.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Thank you for having me! For any questions or follow ups, I can be reached at my office line 845–638–2200, email roselina@serranolawpc.com and website www.serranolawpc.com.