Melissa Gohlke always knew she wanted to be a litigator. As early as elementary school, she proudly proclaimed that she would become an attorney one day. Despite that certainty, she took some time after graduating from college to explore other fields before attending Georgetown Law School. “I tried public relations, but I just kept being pulled back to the idea of law school,” she explains. “I knew it was what I really wanted.” Originally from Texas, Gohlke picked Georgetown Law because she felt drawn to Washington, DC in the same way she felt drawn to law school. “I tried my hand with both law school and DC and I fell in love with both,” she laughs. Today, Gohlke serves as a white collar litigation and investigations associate at Cooley LLP in DC where she manages many of the firm’s white collar investigations and supervises an ever-growing team of attorneys.
While Gohlke was confident about her decision to be a litigator, she wasn’t sure what type of law she most wanted to practice. Fortunately, she found her perfect match in white collar investigations. “When I first joined BigLaw, there weren’t a lot of big civil litigation cases for me to work on, but there were a lot of government investigations. It ended up being a perfect fit,” she explains. Gohlke particularly enjoys the flexibility of investigative work and how it allows her to apply strategic advice to help clients reach favorable outcomes. “My work typically begins with a boom on the worst days for my clients and ideally ends with a whisper in the form of silence from the government or out-of-court resolutions,” she says. “I like the puzzle piece nature of investigations and enjoy finding practical and sometimes unconventional ways to help my clients through a crisis.” In short, Gohlke likes the creativity that comes with her practice. “I had no idea I could be this excited about investigative work when I started,” she reflects, “but here I am and I am so happy with it!”
Despite her success and passion for her work, Gohlke is also very aware of the difficulties that come with working in the legal profession as an attorney with intersectional identities. “Being a queer Latina in BigLaw brings challenges, even in a supportive environment like my firm,” she says. “There is so little representation for folks like us. My wife and I have two daughters and while I don’t know what path they will take, I want them to know that we can do hard things. Even if the odds are not always in our favor, even if these spaces weren’t made for us, I want them to know that they can still achieve their dreams.” Gohlke explains that as a first generation college graduate and an LGBTQ+ woman of color, she had to “grow up” into the legal profession on her own. That experience made her passionate about doing more for future generations so that others, like her daughters, can pursue paths that are meaningful to them without worrying about whether there is space for them there. “That’s why the National LGBTQ+ Bar is so important to me,” she continues. “The LGBTQ+ Bar gave me a chance. As a law student, it showed me that the career I wanted to pursue was possible for me. More recently, serving on the LGBTQ+ Bar’s Membership Committee gave me an opportunity to do more for the next generation, which has been so empowering.”
Gohlke first joined the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association as a law student. “I was active in OutLaw and there was a large group of students involved going to Lavender Law® that year. I wanted to go too, so I joined and attended.” According to Gohlke, the experience was life-changing. “Law school was my first community experience of being ‘out’ at all,” she explains. “At Lavender Law®, I was amazed at the concept of being in community with so many other people like me – especially in a professional setting. It was as incredible as it was mind-boggling.” Now, as a veteran attendee of the annual conference, Gohlke continues to find Lavender Law® a meaningful experience. “I really appreciate how the material is always interesting and fresh. I always learn something new. And, of course, it is still so rewarding to see the ever-increasing size, diversity, and connectivity of the LGBTQ+ legal community.”
When asked what advice she would give to first-time Lavender Law® attendees, Gohlke says to find a healthy balance between strategy and spontaneity. “It is easy to overthink it, but Lavender Law® is meant to be fun and community focused as much as it is about advancing your career and networking.” Gohlke encourages attendees to do what is helpful for them – whether that is strategically attending workshops and events with career goals in mind or just appreciating the moment and attending what is most fulfilling personally. Ultimately, though, she believes the best approach is a mix of both. “The community we find at Lavender Law® is unique, so it is really important to enjoy it and not stress too much about how it could impact your future.” Over the years, Gohlke has also found that leaning into that joy and authenticity can also make the networking aspects of the conference more accessible. “I hate small talk and networking events,” she laughs. “But if I approach it as a happy hour with my community, the mental hurdle is easier to overcome and I can more naturally connect with other LGBTQ+ legal professionals.”
While Lavender Law® served as her introduction to the LGBTQ+ Bar and continues to be a source of joyful community, Gohlke’s recent work on the LGBTQ+ Bar’s Membership Committee inspires her to continue working for the next generation. “It is incredible to learn more about the LGBTQ+ Bar’s membership and my fellow committee members,” she says. “Here are all of these successful folks who are simultaneously working so hard to keep everything moving forward with the LGBTQ+ Bar.” She also enjoys the personal connections she has made while on the committee. When asked why the LGBTQ+ Bar matters today, Gohlke’s answer is simple: authenticity. “The LGBTQ+ Bar provides a space where everyone who is queer can be their authentic selves in a professional capacity, which is not always easy in our profession. You can really see this at Lavender Law® where there are so many queer people from all different backgrounds who demonstrate to themselves and to each other that we don’t have to be one kind of person to be successful.” She adds that it can be particularly hard for LGBTQ+ people of color to navigate the legal profession in a way that also empowers them to bring their full selves to the workplace. “There are so many additional layers that we have to consider that others don’t, so any work to make the profession more accessible is wonderful.” Gohlke doesn’t just see this work as important to individual attorneys, though. It is also important for the overall success of law firms. “Setting aside the fact that supporting diversity initiatives is the right thing to do, it is also increasingly becoming a business imperative,” she explains. “Our client teams need to have the best ideas and be able to best relate to clients. There really is an increasing business imperative for lawyers and firms to reflect their clients and communities so as to best serve them.”
The National LGBTQ+ Bar Association is proud to count Melissa Gohlke amongst its membership and is grateful for her service to the organization. We look forward to seeing her again this August at our 2024 Lavender Law® Conference and Career Fair in Washington, D.C., where she will be presenting on a panel titled “We The People, For The People: Working On Pro Bono Projects at a Firm as a New Attorney.” To learn more about Lavender Law® and this panel, visit our conference website.