Women Worth Watching 2015

Kimberly Lewis Robinson

This Successful Jones Walker Partner Is Empowering Others to Succeed

 

web JonesW_RobinsonKimberly Lewis Robinson is a partner with Jones Walker LLP in the firm’s Tax & Estates practice group. Her practice focuses on state and local tax matters, including tax and business planning, tax incentives, appeals, audits, tax litigation and appeal, tax controversies, and state and local tax statutes. Her practice also includes the areas of economic development financing and incentives, and government relations.

Kimberly is also an editor and contributor for Cooking with SALT, a legal blog committed to providing timely insights on recent legal and practical developments concerning clients in many state and local taxing jurisdictions on matters involving income, franchise, net worth, gross receipts, sales/use, business and occupational license, severance, ad valorem property, and other miscellaneous taxes.

“Whatever you do, give it your absolute best.”

Before joining Jones Walker, Kimberly served as special counsel for the Office of the Governor of the State of Louisiana, where she provided legal counsel to Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco. During her tenure with the governor, Kimberly acted as a liaison to the Departments of Revenue and Economic Development, and as senior policy adviser on economic development, insurance, and revenue policy. She also worked for six years in the Louisiana Department of Revenue, serving as assistant secretary for the Office of Legal Affairs and confidential assistant to the secretary. From 1998 through 2000, she served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Justice Bernette J. Johnson, Louisiana Supreme Court.

“The leap from the public sector to private practice was the biggest in my career,” said Kimberly. “I learned that the good reputation and strong work ethic you build in one setting will follow you into your new career path.”

Kimberly’s professional path has been lined by strong and successful female mentors in the areas of law, government, and tax. Now she is empowering others to succeed—through her service as a charter school board member, her work empowering taxpayers, her community and civic involvement, and her various leadership roles within the law firm.

Education: BA, MPA and JD, Louisiana State University

First Job: I worked in my parents’ daycare center as a teacher’s aide.

What I’m Reading: “David and Goliath” by Malcolm Gladwell and “Lift Up Thy Voice” by Mark Perry

Words I live by: Whatever you do, give it your absolute best.

The most important quality a woman leader should have is…

…tenacity.

The career advice I’d give my former self:

The hard work pays off – so don’t quit!

The one thing I’d do differently in my career, knowing what I know now, is…

…actually take vacations. Recharging your battery really does increase productivity (and happiness too).

When I really need to focus on a project, I…

…get up at 4 in the morning and work on the project in my home office where there are no other distractions.

My biggest career leap (and what I learned from it) was…

…the leap from the public sector to private practice was the biggest in my career. I learned that the good reputation and strong work ethic you build in one setting will follow you into your new career path.

Being a woman in my profession has been…

…rewarding. I love the work, appreciate the opportunity to mentor others and realize that “to whom much is given much is expected.” I have had the occasion of being mistaken as the secretary – not the lawyer – but who doesn’t love a teachable moment. We are put on this earth to make a difference – I am determined to do just that!

I’ve learned that failure is…

…not an option, but it is something that happens. When it does, you just have to pick yourself up, learn from it and move forward smarter t