Deegan Dickson of Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, & Terrana discusses "glass ceiling"

What is your biggest leadership challenge, other than the "glass ceiling"? My biggest leadership challenge as one of the few woman partners in the largest zoning and real estate law firm on Long Island, is to be a good role model and provide effective mentoring to the young women attorneys in my firm. I believe that it is essential for me to help other women realize their potential and to ensure that there is no glass ceiling here at Forchelli Curto Deegan. Fortunately, I am lucky to have partners who appreciate and reward talent, skill and accomplishment, regardless of gender, and we have been able to attract some real rising stars in the legal profession. I try to lead by example and use the skills I've learned over my twenty-plus years in practice to teach these talented women how to effectively attract new clients and be a rainmaker in a male-dominated profession. Part of the challenge is helping them to recognize that women often approach marketing and networking differently than men do, and teaching them to embrace these differences in order to effectively attract new business. I think it is important to recognize that, by supporting our female colleagues in other fields as well, we can create a strong network of referral sources outside of the traditional sources we tend to rely on for business. Deegan Dickson concentrates her practice in the areas of real estate development matters, and, in particular, land use and zoning law. She has an extensive track record of success with and before municipal boards and agencies on significant projects throughout Long Island. Perhaps more importantly, she has a reputation for effectiveness and integrity in the pre-hearing meetings and outreach to municipal planning staffs and civic groups that are now a must in Long Island's current development climate. She is former counsel to the city of Glen Cove planning and Zoning Boards, and currently represents many developers, property owners, corporations and private individuals in all types of matters involving real property transactions, zoning and land use. She is a member of WEDLI (Women Economic Developers of Long Island), the Nassau County Catholic Lawyer's Guild, the New York Democratic Lawyers Council, the Long Island Builders Institute (LIBI) and the Hauppauge Industrial Association (HIA). Deegan Dickson also serves as the chairperson of the board of All Saints Regional School, as well as on the advisory council of the North Shore University Hospital at Glen Cove, and the board of Tomorrow's Hope Foundation. She was named one of Long Island's 50 Most Influential Women by the Long Island Business News and a New York Super Lawyer. She was honored by the John J. Byrne Community Center at its inaugural "Long Island Outstanding Advocate for Children and Youth Awards" (2011).