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Desiree Davidson
Were they afraid we were planning a coup d'etat?

I spent my first summer during Columbia Law School at a firm in Philadelphia described as one of the best places in the city for black lawyers. I believed that if there was any place where I would have an equal chance at opportunities, be treated fairly and succeed, this would be it. There were three black female summer associates out of sixty that year but any time all three of us were in an office talking, one of the partners would knock on the door to see how we were doing. It happened too often to be a coincidence that sometimes we would purposely agree to meet in so-and-so's office to test our theory that we were being monitored. Like clock work, ten minutes after we would get together a partner would stop by.

Should she stay or go?

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That should be my decision

Christopher Kamp

Part of my responsibility was to hire people to manage some of our assets, so I would get bids from various companies. However, the division manager wanted to get involved in the process and to give business to some of his associates and friends. But usually these weren't the best companies. And deciding who to give the business to should be my decision, because it reflected on my performance.