Sara Alpert Lawson Recognized as “Best Mentor” by Florida’s Daily Business Review

The Daily Business Review (DBR) has named Tampa-based partner Sara Lawson a Florida Legal Awards Best Mentors winner. Ms. Lawson has a long-held commitment to mentorship and to supporting junior attorneys, and her passion for mentoring extends beyond her law practice, encompassing her community, alma mater, and the legal profession as a whole.

Collaborating with two of her partners, Ms. Lawson developed Zuckerman Spaeder’s inaugural formal mentorship program and successfully launched the initiative across the firm’s offices in 2022.  She continues to oversee the program, along with her partners, ensuring that associates are thoughtfully matched with partners who can provide guidance, practical advice, and substantive counsel. 

Ms. Lawson actively seeks opportunities to guide younger attorneys outside of her own firm, including by participating in mentorship programs with the Federal Bar Association Tampa Chapter and her alma mater, the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. She also writes and speaks about the importance of creating supportive work environments, and Corporate Counsel recently published her article on generational diversity in the workplace.

Ms. Lawson's commitment to mentorship goes beyond her professional endeavors. Since 2012, she has served as a pro bono attorney with Crossroads for Florida Kids, representing young people engaged in foster care battles. She also successfully developed a mentorship program with a local foster care organization, benefiting nearly a dozen young individuals.

Asked about her approach to leadership and guiding younger attorneys, Ms. Lawson told DBR, "My secret ingredients for effective mentoring are being vulnerable about my own experience, such that my mentees have the benefit of insights from my career, and listening well. I believe in servant leadership, in which the development of those around me is a priority and being willing to do what you ask of your team.”

Ms. Lawson's recognition by the Florida Legal Awards highlights her exceptional dedication to supporting the legal profession and the positive impact she has had on the careers and lives of numerous junior attorneys, as well as her community. 

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Katie Munroe
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