Tips from the Bar: Cynthia L. Stratton 

“There’s no right way to do the wrong thing.” Cynthia L. Stratton, managing partner of civil litigation and employment law firm Stratton & Green, ALC and SDCBA board member, was raised with this adage. But there are myriad ways to do the right thing. Stratton does the right thing by focusing on relationships and community.

The Path to a Career of Passion

Stratton always knew a career in law was for her—she grew up in the law. Her father was also a civil litigator, and she spent her childhood summers working in his office. She started alphabetizing files until she was old enough to become the office receptionist. (“The job was so hard!” she remarked humorously about the memory.) Eventually, when the office’s legal secretary left, she took on that role as well.

Stratton earned her bachelor’s degree in business and political science from San Diego State University. Her business degree, she says, helps her practice. Infinite resources can mean infinite litigation choices. But when a client is of limited means, optimizing her litigation strategy helps these clients access justice.

After undergraduate school, law school was a natural progression. Stratton attended the University of San Diego School of Law where she was a member of a nationally recognized mock trial team. She also had an incredible experience interning with the public defender’s office working alongside a senior-level public defender during a criminal trial.

Although she enjoyed many aspects of criminal law, Stratton shifted to civil litigation after graduating. She began working for a firm handling a variety of civil cases. She felt drawn to employment law. In her first 13 years of practice, she managed thousands of plaintiff-side cases. Gradually, business law clients wanted employer-side representation, and she helped defend these cases too.

Now, Stratton is a managing partner at a boutique firm with employee and employer clients. She calls her firm “unusual” in that way, but she loves it—she gets to coach and represent smaller businesses, provide independent investigations, and passionately represent employees facing discrimination. Every day, she learns something new about a wide swath of businesses. And Stratton enjoys walking with her clients through the litigation process so they come out the other side feeling empowered.

To find passion in the law, Stratton suggests new lawyers “be open to what comes along, and to learning new things.” While it may be overwhelming to learn a lot very quickly, if you embrace “drinking from the firehose,” you will find what brings fulfillment.

Giving Back

Stratton stresses the importance of giving back to the community. “I truly believe a rising tide lifts all boats,” she stated. Stratton has supported and served numerous local charities. She enjoys giving back without an expectation of getting something in return—it is good for the soul “but is just karmically good.” This is a principle she has worked hard to instill in her children.

When her children went to college and left her an empty nester, Stratton wanted to give back to her legal community by serving as a board member for the SDBCA. She felt the SDBCA gave her so much, and this was her way of paying it forward. And by paying it forward, she both does good and feels good. Stratton advises we all give back to our communities, without needing a quid pro quo, because that will ultimately lift us all.

Tips for New Lawyers

Stratton’s belief in building relationships and community shapes her advice to new attorneys. “San Diego is a huge county but a small town,” Stratton emphasized. Reputation is important. The key to building a reputation of professionalism, integrity, reliability, and strength is simply to follow through. Set expectations from the outset—say no or provide an alternative if you cannot do something. Most importantly, follow through if you say you will do something.

To help build your legal community, she suggests getting involved with SDCBA early. Over time, you will build substantial relationships. You can also gain resources to seek for advice or to gain practical knowledge. For example, she highly recommends joining a practice area listserv. “There are so many lawyers active.” When a question is asked, “within a couple of hours, there are all kinds of responses.”

Last, when you feel overtaxed, remember there is no perfect work/life balance. “Balance is something I’m always chasing!” Instead, check in with yourself regularly, triage your life, and re-evaluate your priorities because they will consistently shift. “And that’s okay! Be gentle with yourself.”