TCDIP Featured Lawyer: Adine Momoh
Adine S. Momoh
Associate
Stinson Leonard Street
What is your area of practice?
I am a trial attorney focusing my practice on the areas of complex business and commercial litigation, securities litigation, estates and trusts litigation, and creditors’ rights and bankruptcy in the Minneapolis Office of Stinson Leonard Street LLP. My clients include banks, credit unions, health care providers, medical gas providers, franchisees, non-for-profit entities and other businesses and individuals, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to emerging entrepreneurs.
How did you do it?
The legal career is a long one, so I recognize that I have been doing and must continue to do “it.” What is “it”? By way of background, I am a first-generation American. My parents, who emigrated from Sierra Leone, West Africa in the 1970s, taught me the values of education, humility, having a strong work ethic, and giving back. I try to honor these values each and every day, not only in my legal practice but also in how I live my life. These values also include being confident, ambitious, trusting in myself and my abilities, being self aware, and knowing how to spot opportunities.
With regard to my legal practice, I strive to challenge myself constantly. I am not scared to work on cases where the area of law is one I do not regularly practice. If I see an opportunity to help a client, strategize, think outside the box, and problem solve, I welcome it. For instance, when I started practicing at the firm in 2009, I wanted to handle more bankruptcy matters. I did not take any classes in bankruptcy. But I knew with my finance and business background (and love for math), I could use these skills and possibly find a new niche area. From there, I started developing relationships with those within the firm and outside the firm that did this sort of work so I could learn and build the foundation for the work I wanted to practice. Now, I represent clients in fraudulent transfer and preference litigation actions across the country, and I use this experience in other areas of my practice, including estates and trusts litigation and securities litigation.
I recognize that being able to do “it” is not a job one does alone. In addition to trusting in myself, I have learned to trust in others. For example, some of the best opportunities in my life have come to me because someone asked me to do something (or said I should consider doing something), and I said, “Yes.” At those times, I may not have known what I was being asked to do specifically, or how much work would be involved or even if there would be any benefit to me saying, “Yes.” But sometimes you just have to trust—in yourself, in others and the experience—and many doors will then become open.
What do you do outside of the law?
A lot of things, but I will name a few. I like to read books of various sorts (I am in two book clubs, and when the clubs are not meeting, I read books on my own – sort of a “book club of one”). I also love the arts—which includes viewing art and creating art (I oil paint and recently developed the love of DIY hobbies around the house and yard), being active—I do Zumba, and my husband and I like to go to the gym and ride bikes on the trails, exploring new restaurants, going to concerts, and spending time with my family and friends.
Who were the people critical to your success?
Many mentors have been critical to my success to date, too many to name. Some know who they are and some may not because we have never met but I admire them for what they have accomplished and for the lessons I have learned from them. These individuals include my parents; my two older brothers; my husband; teachers and professors throughout my life; attorneys at my firm (including those that were, but are no longer with the firm) and outside my firm that have shown me what it means to be an attorney and, more importantly, an advocate (both in and outside the courtroom); and so on.
Who do you want to thank?
If I could, I would name all of those individuals that have helped me thus far in my career. But for now, I would especially like to thank my parents, Kofi and Mabel, who have been my champions and sponsors since day one (even before those words were even being used), and who always taught me that I should never feel discouraged and if anyone makes me feel that way, I should work harder and prove them wrong. Additionally, I thank my two older brothers, Kenny and Kofi, who have always supported me and set the bar high for me. Of course, I thank my loving husband, Vince, who is also my champion, confidant and venting partner. I thank all of the mentors in my life, including Judge Jeanne Graham, whom I clerked for previously. I thank my firm, Stinson Leonard Street LLP, which has been supportive of me since I was a 1L in law school. Lastly, I thank Val Jensen and Twin Cities Diversity in Practice. Through them, I have met tremendous mentors and friends in the Twin Cities, been able to pay it forward by being a mentor to law students throughout the years, and learned valuable skills of business development, and for that, I am very grateful.