Sonia Sotomayor: Private practice

After serving as the Assistant District Attorney from 1979 until 1983, Sonia Sotomayor left and entered into private practice. Serving as a commercial litigation attorney, she joined the practice of Pavia & Harcourt, located in Manhattan. With thirty attorneys located within the practice, Sotomayor specialized in intellectual property litigation, arbitration, and international law. Sotomayor soon represented the Italian goods retail company, Fendi.

Focusing on protecting Fendi’s interests against counterfeiters, Sotomayor worked with Pavia & Harcourt for eight years, between 1984 and 1992. Some terms used to describe Sotomayor when she was in private practice include skilled, quick learner, and fearless.
Sotomayor was interviewed by Good Morning America in 1986 and in the video she discussed her feelings regarding her work. The interview featured women ten years after they graduated from college.

In addition to her law practice, Sonia Sotomayor took on many public roles during the 1980’s. Sotomayor was appointed by then Governor of New York, Mario Cuomo, to the board of the State of New York Mortgage Agency in 1987. She kept the position until 1992. Part of her work included assisting low-income citizens obtain home mortgages. She also assisted with those who needed housing and Aids hospices. From 1980 until 1982, Sotomayor was on the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund. Between 1985 and 1986, Sonia Sotomayor was a board member of the Maternity Center Association. In 1988, New York City Mayor Ed Koch appointed her as one of the founding members of the New York City Campaign Finance Board. She maintained that position for four years. Sotomayor stayed with Pavia & Harcourt until 1992.

Sources:

The National Law Journal: Nominee’s civil practice was with a small, but specialized, firm
http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1202431011230&Nominees_civil_practice_was_with_a_small_but_specialized_firm&slreturn=1