Amy Wollensack worked for several years as a nurse practitioner between college and law school, she said on this week’s Drinks With The Deal podcast, a job that has informed her legal practice.

“The stakes are very high in both careers,” said Wollensack, now a private equity partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in New York. “Having that background helped with being able to make fast-paced decisions in high-stakes matters.”

Her experience also helped her manage challenging situations and personalities. “Early in my career,” Wollensack said, “I was working with a very tough M&A partner. She said to me at some point that she was interested in why I never seemed to get flustered. And I responded, ‘In this career, nobody dies if I make a mistake.'”

Over time, Wollensack said: “That lawyer became a dear friend. She passed away last year. Several years ago, around the time the ‘Wonder Woman’ movie came out, she sent me a Wonder Woman figurine with a note that said, ‘I just wanted to remind you that you’re a superhero.'”

Wollensack called the woman, who had health issues and retired early, to ask the meaning behind the note. The woman replied: “I have admired you over the years and what you’ve done with your career. I wonder if I had stayed in the law longer, what my trajectory would have looked like. I look to you as someone who has carried on my legacy.”

Listen to the podcast with Amy Wollensack below:

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