Lawyer Melissa G. Andrieux, partner at the law firm Dorf, Nelson & Zauderer LLP in Rye, New York.
Photo by Peter Oberc
Melissa G. Andrieux, of Haitian descent, a partner at the law firm Dorf, Nelson & Zauderer LLP in Rye, New York, although an introvert by nature, is leading the charge for stronger workplace diversity initiatives.
Her fellow partner at the law firm, Jonathan Nelson, has had the most significant influence on her career. “He is a mentor to me and helped guide my path in the firm to partner and head the Social Impact Consulting Group,” she said.
Growing up, Andrieux’s only role model of lawyers were on television because she did not have a real-life example of the profession close to her. She learned about her great-grandfather and his life in Haiti in the last two or three years.
“However, when I found out he was a judge, I felt a sense that maybe that explained why I was so drawn to and single-minded in my pursuit of a legal career,” she shared.
Discussing life experiences that have shaped her career, Andrieux states, “Although I did not experience many struggles or challenges growing up, living in Queens in a middle-class family with two working parents instilled a strong work ethic and resilience in me to succeed and excel in whatever I did and certainly in all aspects of my career. Failure was never an option for me.” She noted that Queens had a reputation for being a diverse, tough, competitive place to grow up.
She attended St. John’s University for college and then New York Law School. During that time, she received a job offer to work as an Assistant District Attorney (A.D.A), her dream job.
Andrieux later realized it was not for her because she was not interested in the social scene or making friends.
“I wanted to get through school and head home, which is what I did. I did not know or understand the value of developing relationships back then. Don’t get me wrong, I had a circle of friends at both institutions but did not foster them. Once school was done, so were those relationships. I do regret that that was my experience, but it was the path I chose,” she explained.
Being an A.D.A was her dream job, and she loved that she represented the people of NY, in particular, the citizens of Queens County, where she grew up.
“I was seeking justice for the victims of crimes. But, I was also tasked with ensuring that our justice system fairly treated the defendants I was prosecuting. However, as time passed, I realized I needed a fresh start and, candidly, more money. I also felt that my career development at the District Attorney’s office had stalled. I was not being challenged any longer. So it was time to move on,” she added.
In addition, she did not have the joy or passion for what she was doing, and she chose to enter private practice, where she was a civil litigator for the next 12 years.
“I learned from some of the best in the business and honed my skills. I enjoyed the work I was doing and the folks I worked with, but at some point, my inner self was screaming that practicing law was no longer my calling. I felt that there was something more for me to do, but I truly did not know what it was until I started to view the legal profession differently,” she stated.
Andrieux says she has been very fortunate in her professional career. Opportunities have presented themselves, which she has had the good sense to grab.
“Mentorship and sponsorship were instrumental leading up to my current role, but then there was also the drive within me to not fail and to do more in the world to give back and be the person for others I did not have as I navigated my career. So, a new opportunity presented itself, and I opened a new chapter, leading me to where I am today,” she continued.
In her current role at the law firm, her responsibility is to develop and execute the firm’s strategy to attract, recruit, and retain talent and to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.
Being in this role means everything to Andrieux because, she states, “I have the opportunity to contribute to the firm and society as a whole. I have been given a platform, and I have a responsibility to the younger generation of attorneys to pave the way or make their path easier than mine was. I am able to share my knowledge and mistakes in the hopes that it will help them navigate their careers.”
Additionally, in this role, she works with clients and other businesses to develop their own diversity and inclusion (D&I) programs and related initiatives, which is why she says one of the key elements of the role includes establishing trust with them.
To her, the most rewarding part of her role is figuring out where they are and where they want to go with their particular organization.
“Some clients come with a deep commitment to D & I, while others are just beginning the conversation and need someone to guide them in the right direction. D & I work involves navigating sensitive conversations about privilege, bias, and power. Building and gaining that trust with the leaders of the business enables me to have frank, honest discussions to uncover the root causes of their challenges, and that is where real change starts. Then I know we will have success,” she continued.
Andrieux wants to be known for keeping it real and not pretending to be someone she is not.
Furthermore, she said, “I want to be remembered for my kindness, the mentorship I provided, and the contributions I made to my family and community. I also want to be remembered for how I overcame the self-doubt and naysayers to realize my true potential and place in this world.”
