Attorney and Managing Partner at Bish & Cutting, Mindy Bish’s journey into the field of law is marked by determination and a strong sense of purpose. Mindy Bish, an attorney and managing partner of Bish & Cutting, began the legal profession with determination and a clear sense of purpose. Despite having a young child on her own and beginning her legal profession later in life, she continued in following her passion for the law and was admitted to the bar in 1993. She took a risk when she decided to become a lawyer, but she was fully committed to it.
In 1995, Mindy started her career as a trial attorney in the area of personal injury litigation, where she discovered her real vocation. Throughout the 1990s, she worked all around California, as a partner in a Plaintiff personal injury firm, because to her commitment to advocating for wounded people, establishing a solid professional network and developing important connections with other legal professionals.
In 2013, Mindy’s career took a significant turn when she joined hands with Don Keenan and the Keenan Trial Institute. Prior to this period, she moved to her hometown of Santa Clarita, California, with the goal of starting a legal business that would represent the rights of those who had been injured. Bish Law was founded as a result of this project in 2013.
Mindy’s dedication to her law business is shown in her pursuit of further education and professional advancement. She has held the position of co-dean at the Keenan Trial Institute and is certified to teach a number of courses there. She is also a graduate of the Trial Lawyer’s College. Additionally, Mindy frequently engages in monitoring trial lawyer Listserves in California and around the country to remain current on legal changes and to share expertise with other lawyers.
The Firm
Bish Law became Bish & Cutting in 2021 and is essentially an advocacy company, committed to making sure that injured individuals receive just compensation for their injuries, as well as for the psychological suffering and other damages the rule breaker may have caused. The team is devoted to assisting clientele in getting the compensation they are due so they may heal and move on. Bish & Cutting handles a wide variety of claims involving significant injuries, such as tractor trailer crashes, medical malpractice, auto accidents, and injuries due to dangerous properties. The company works closely with clients from the onset to achieve their objectives and is committed to advocating for the greatest and most fair solutions for them.
Mentoring Future Legal Leaders
For Mindy, leadership in the legal field centers on principles of integrity and fairness. She strongly advocates for equal access to quality legal representation for all individuals in need. In order to help her many associates and legal assistants pursue this path of equitable representation, Mindy takes satisfaction in mentoring them. She highlights that legal problems people encounter, particularly when they have been injured or wronged, are frequently or high-profile; rather, they are actual, chronic problems that call for unshakable devotion to bringing the culpable parties accountable. This might be a difficult task since aspiring leaders may run against barriers and feel discouraged. Mindy feels that perseverance is essential and exhorts her mentees to do the same while facing tough opponents, whether they be a major firm or an insurance company. It may be simpler to give up on a case, but she underlines that doing so would be wrong since justice and fairness demand that we do it even when the task is less exciting.
Challenges and Triumphs
Being a woman in the legal profession presented significant challenges from the outset of Mindy’s career. She graduated from law school in the 1990s when the legal field was still predominantly male-dominated. At that time, there was a prevailing perception that she wouldn’t be able to compete with male counterparts in the courtroom. Mindy worked tirelessly to shatter this stereotype, not only as a woman but also as a single mother starting her legal journey in her thirties. Many opposing attorneys wrongly assumed that she could be easily intimidated or lacked confidence.
Mindy faced additional hurdles because she attended law school part-time while working and raising her son. Her law school program was not American Bar Association (ABA) approved, and upon graduation, she struggled to find employment. Without a mentor or a supportive team to learn from, the early years as a trial attorney were marked by challenges. She encountered setbacks and challenges when facing more experienced opponents in the courtroom. However, through determination and resilience, she gradually learned the intricacies of courtroom politics. Despite falling victim to more experienced adversaries several times, Mindy persisted and earned her reputation in the legal field. By the time she joined Don Keenan’s team in the 2021, she understood that persistence and grit were her most valuable qualities forged by her unique path.
Women in Leadership Roles
Mindy shares that she is a worker, coming from a family of immigrants who worked in sweatshops and fought for workers’ rights in the U.S. She’s proud of her family, being a mom and grandmother, and values her chosen family at Bish & Cutting and the Keenan Law Firm. She loves spending time with these families in CA or FL, preferably by the beach.
Mindy firmly believes that women often excel at navigating challenges and are intimately familiar with the experience of being underestimated. She recognizes that women possess valuable qualities such as team-building skills and a willingness to take risks, which can significantly benefit any organization.
Breaking Barriers in the Legal Field
In the field of law, Mindy has encountered not just glass ceilings for women, but formidable concrete barriers. She was determined to build Bish & Cutting from the ground up into a firm where women were not only represented but taken as seriously as they deserved to be. To achieve this, she fought cases in various courts across California, securing significant settlements while also experiencing losses that deeply affected her. Mindy recognized the importance of relentless advocacy, not just for herself but also for the clients who placed their trust in her. Over time, her determination paid off: opposing counsel stopped assuming her male associates were the lead attorneys, she gained recognition as a member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, and prestigious firms started referring cases to her because they knew she would give her all. Now, a decade later, her firm is a tight-knit family and a highly effective team, considered among the best in the field.
Significance of Persistence and Resilience in Success
Mindy believes that success is closely tied to persistence, resilience, and the willingness to give back. She views all trials and endeavors, such as running a law firm like Bish & Cutting, as marathons, where maintaining momentum is crucial. While losses are a part of the journey, working with integrity on every case and treating each client as important keeps you moving forward and closer to your goals. Mindy also emphasizes that success is subjective, and she considers herself successful because her firm is successful. Building something that will endure beyond her time as a partner and continue to help people is a testament to her accomplishments.
Building a Successful Law Firm
Mindy emphasizes the importance of building a successful law firm where victories for clients continue to grow, and the quality of legal representation remains high. The team at Bish & Cutting is committed to being ready to represent anyone who needs their services with integrity and excellence.
Her advice to the next generation of legal leaders is to advocate for themselves in situations where they rightfully belong and not to shy away from challenging fights when they believe in the cause. Additionally, understanding one’s strengths and building a trustworthy team that complements those strengths is crucial for success in the legal field.
