Press
Bridget Fitzpatrick Discusses Government Service and Advice for Rising Lawyers
February 17, 2026
Munger, Tolles & Olson Partner Bridget Fitzpatrick spoke with the American Bar Association in an interview titled, “Securities Stories: Bridget Fitzpatrick’s Advice for Rising Lawyers.” In the interview, Bridget reflects on her government service, the importance of mentorship and provided advice for rising lawyers today.
Bridget emphasizes three key lessons in her government roles: the importance of returning assets to harmed investors, the value of open dialogue with companies seeking to remediate issues and the need for agencies to be adequately resourced to evaluate sophisticated conduct. “Most companies and executives want to get it right,” she said. “Enforcement works best when there’s transparency about systemic problems and remediation.”
Now at MTO, Bridget draws heavily on her government experience to advise clients facing government investigations and complex financial misconduct or compliance issues. She emphasizes that the best trial lawyers are storytellers who can distill complex transactions into simple, compelling narratives. “Lawyers have a tendency to make things complex because they are capable of understanding complex concepts and that is a highly valued skill in the law.”
When preparing teams for high‑stakes litigation, Bridget explains the importance of organization, communication, adaptability and calm leadership. “The great thing about litigation is that you never know what’s going to happen next. But you can be prepared for it by thinking through what needs to happen before trial and never losing sight of your strongest arguments.”