Austin T. Lee

Mentors: Lee’s grandfather, Richard Lee, served as one of his earliest—and most indelible —role models. “Richard taught me to take pride in my work and to give the best you have and the best will come back to you,” he recalls. “He helped me develop these qualities and the work ethic that it requires to live them out and that has had more of an impact on who I am than probably anything else in my life.”

At Bracewell, Lee regards his supervising partner, J.J. McAnelly, as a friend, boss and mentor. “While he has taught me many of the fundamental skills I have learned as an A&D lawyer, I think the most important thing he has shown me is the value of putting the people you work with, both clients and colleagues, first.”

Quotable: “You are not always going to be ready to respond to challenges that come up in your life or professional career. You have to just try to relax, have confidence in your abilities and face the challenges head-on.”

Advice for young professionals: “Work as hard as you can to master the fundamentals of your profession, but never be afraid to embrace creativity and innovation. For better or for worse, this is a dynamic industry and things will change.”