WIP Committee – Get to Know Sophia Blair

By Sophia Blair 

What law school did you attend and what is your graduation year?

Wake Forest University School of Law, 2018.

Describe a typical work day for you.

I love the challenge and daily variety of my work as a commercial litigator at Wyrick Robbins. Typically, I am researching, writing, advising clients, preparing for and attending hearings and depositions, consulting with my colleagues, and supervising and mentoring younger attorneys.

Describe what you like to do outside of work.

Having moved to Raleigh during the pandemic, I focus a lot of my time outside of work on building a community and fostering new connections. I am the Raleigh Director of the Women’s Social Club, which is a national social and networking group for women. As a director, I plan and host monthly events and lead a team of ambassadors. Outside of Women’s Social Club, I attend exhibitions, lectures, and workshops to feed my lifelong love of the visual arts. (In fact, I minored in sculpture in college!) Within the past few months, I participated in plein air and tempera painting workshops at the North Carolina Museum of Art and attended lectures on tattooing in ancient Egypt, vase painting in Italy, and the trade relationship between Venice and the Ottoman Empire. I also try to stay active through whatever form of exercise appeals at the moment – right now, I am in a hot yoga and rowing phase. At the end of the day, I prioritize spending time with my partner, John, and our elderly black cats, Raven and Momo.

Please describe a barrier or obstacle you have faced in your professional career.

I clerked for Judges Gale and Bledsoe at the North Carolina Business Court from 2018-2020, which meant that I was applying to law firms in early 2020. There were about three months when firms stopped interviewing. Rationally, I knew that it was not personal, but it would be disingenuous to say that I did not experience self-doubt and fear that my career trajectory would be dictated by unlucky timing.

Please describe your reasons for becoming involved in WIP.

I joined WIP because the insidious obstacles that professional women continue to face are easier to ignore and harder to remove. Through WIP, I hope to help catalyze systemic changes if possible, and connect with female lawyers at different stages in their careers.