Paula Dow, attorney general for the state of New Jersey, possesses a set of attributes that no one who previously held this specific job did. She’s African American, Ivy-League educated, a woman, and a Democrat serving a Republican governor. She’s also a living example that the old adage, “Never put your eggs in one basket,†isn’t always right.
Dow, 55, loves every aspect of the law, whether it’s defending the victim of a harrowing crime or enjoying a ripped-from-the-headlines episode of “Law and Order.†And when she settled at a rather young age on this particular career path, she never once considered being anything other than an attorney.
She earned her legal stripes at ExxonMobil Corp., where she worked for seven years, handling pollution and refinery labor issues. By the time she left, Dow was lead counsel assigned to Exxon’s Baytown Refinery, one of the largest refineries in the U.S. Once she decided to move from corporate to civil to criminal law, Dow set her sights on each goal and never looked back.
She attributes her single-minded determination to her father, who used to take young Paula around the city of Philadelphia to listen to its great preachers in churches big and small. Her path was done with his encouragement. Whether it was to apply to Ivy League law schools — she earned her juris doctorate degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School; leave a safe job in the U.S. Attorney’s office in New Jersey to become Essex County prosecutor; or to adopt her second child as a single parent, her father was always her biggest cheerleader.
As New Jersey’s 58th attorney general, Dow oversees a department with more than 9,000 employees and serves as the state’s chief law enforcement officer and legal advisor. Now, just a few months into her tenure, Dow spoke with BlackEnterprise.com about the law, her career, and how she remains apolitical in a Republican administration.
BlackEnterprise.com: What attracted you to the law?
Paula Dow: I wanted to become a lawyer probably since I was in ninth or 10th grade when a social studies teacher steered me in that direction. I liked the courtroom challenges and contests with opponents as depicted to me on some of the popular television shows of that time. I didn’t appreciate then how many avenues you could pursue or the different types of practices, but loved the idea of challenging the establishment on behalf of the underdog and being successful.
Describe some of the strategies you used to advance your career.
After serving in the U.S. Attorney’s office on the civil side for about seven years, I wanted to do what the criminal prosecutors were doing and the challenge and excitement of being in the courtroom a lot more. I looked only at offices that had openings in the criminal area and after I made the transition I focused on more and more challenging cases. Other coworkers would leave and go into private practice or other avenues, but I have focused on being a public servant and enjoy it very much.
You’re a Democrat working in a Republican administration. Is it ever difficult to set aside ideological differences?
I’ve not been challenged to focus on that. I think when Gov. Chris Christie asked me to serve as his attorney general he wanted a person who would help shape this office in the mold of other great attorneys general offices that were for the most part apolitical and focused on getting justice with great passion and efficiency.
What if, for example, your governor decided to repeal the healthcare reform bill and you opposed that?
Every state has had to look at the bill and address it and we are, too, but [we] haven’t made any decision either way. It’s an issue we’re still reviewing and looking at its benefits for the state of New Jersey.
What do you consider to be your greatest professional achievement?
Turning around the Essex County prosecutor’s office, which was at a spiritually low point when I inherited it, and making it into a top-notch prosecutor’s office that is respected throughout the state of New Jersey. And on a parallel note, becoming a mom at the same time is an achievement.
What in your career has been the biggest challenge and the most significant reward?
Managing people as the head of an office is one of the toughest challenges for a prosecutor or in my case attorney general. I was challenged in the last seven years, and now in my new job, with changing morale and imposing discipline in instances where it’s not been well carried out in the past. That’s not a skill set we’re well prepared for in school; you learn and develop it [on the job].
The greatest reward, bar none, is helping victims. I got great satisfaction working with some of the most vulnerable victims encountered in domestic violence and horrific homicide cases that we oversaw in the Essex County’s prosecutor’s office.
How do you balance the challenge of working in a high-level, pressure-cooker field with being a single mother?
With a lot of scheduling. I don’t have much free time to do anything besides work and raise my two boys. And I don’t have a nanny or a housekeeper. For the longest time I utilized the YMCA, which has been phenomenal given my long hours. Now that one child is in high school and the other is almost in junior high, I use the Y in part and most recently hired a tutor who works with my youngest, picking him up from school and helping with homework.
What led you to adopt your second child?
A part of me has always wanted to change a child’s life through adoption. Three of my cousins are adopted and we all grew
Who or what has been your greatest influence?
My father. He’s a high school grad who, after WWII, was a mail carrier in Philadelphia for 35 years and one of the smartest people I’ve ever known. He’s certainly the best read, and he always challenged me to do more, to think outside of the box, or to try for something I might have thought of as beyond my reach. He always set the bar higher for me than I’d set it myself and challenged me to reach it.
What advice would you give to young women who want to follow a similar career path?
I always tell young people to not limit themselves or close doors–pretty much what my father told me. You have to work hard and definitely must develop strong writing skills. Find a mentor. But they should follow their dreams and pursue their passion, and if they find one closed door, try to open a new one.