Are You an Outlaw? Meet Emily Rushing
Who has redefined what it means to think outside the law (aka OUTLAW) and is helping each of us in the process?
Meet Emily Cunningham Rushing. Emily is the Director of Competitive Intelligence for Haynes and Boone, LLP, leading library, intelligence, and technologies groups for the firm, an international corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New York, California, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., Mexico City and Shanghai, ranked among the top-100 US firms by The American Lawyer. She writes and presents on competitive intelligence, information services and innovation for law firms, and her hobbies include reading, cooking and reading about cooking. You can find Emily on Twitter here.
We asked Emily a few questions and her answers can be found below. Enjoy getting to know this Outlaw!
Q: What is your greatest fear? A: I don’t love bugs but my greatest work-related fear is probably obsolescence. Like, you walk in one day and everyone has already decided they don’t want/need you and you didn’t see it coming. That horrifies me. I try to capitalize on that fear and channel it into positively-oriented creativity and hustle. Hopefully that’s emotionally healthy….
Q: To what faults do you feel most indulgent? A: Related to the above, I get caught in an “essentialist” feeling that nothing can continue without me and if I’m not there the whole place will collapse. I understand that part of my job as a leader is making sure that never happens and that by building a steady infrastructure and helping folks grow into their strengths, I can turn over production work to the experts and focus on the things that only I can dream up and make happen. I’m not 100% good at it yet but I think I’m on the right track and appreciate everyone who has worked with me to build a team and practice.
Q: Who would you have liked to be? A: Cleopatra, maybe? But without all that suicide bit at the end. She was a super powerful lady, a mother, a ruler, a goddess, spoke and wrote numerous languages. She traveled with a staff of philosophers and poets (as one does, obvs...) and was one of the richest women ever. That sounds fun...Check out Stacy Schiff’s excellent biography for your summer audiobook enjoyment.
Q: Who is your real life hero? A: I’m gonna jump in with Catherine Krow and say Buffy (Buffy is real in my life). Also my grandmother for fighting poverty and hunger in her long career as a social worker, big-ups to Grama Lorraine.
Q: Where would you like to live? A: Amsterdam or San Francisco or Seattle, somewhere with cool weather and water...