Some days are easier than others. If long days at the office start running together, we get creative. My husband will bring the kids to the office, and we’ll have dinner and do pajama time and read books.

As you have advanced in your career, what challenges have you overcome that are unique to being a woman and a parent? What solutions have you developed?

The balance of it all is very tricky when you come back to work after having a baby. A lawyer’s job doesn’t start at 9 a.m., and it doesn’t stop at 5 p.m.—it starts when your client needs something, and it ends when you’ve delivered that to your client. That’s very much like parenthood. So having to balance something that is equally as challenging as your career is a real predicament.

Some days are easier than others. If I’m fortunate to have a light day at work, I choose to enjoy it with my family at home. If long days at the office start running together, we get creative. My husband will bring the kids to the office, and we’ll have dinner and do pajama time and read books. If I’m traveling for work, often my family will come with me. My kids get to experience a new city, and I get to have precious time with them.

How has Pillsbury supported you?

Years ago, a colleague was promoted to partner as a part-time associate, and I thought “Wow. If Pillsbury is going to do that, then maybe I have a shot here.” And that’s exactly what happened. Never once was I made to feel like having kids meant that I wouldn't also have the opportunity to be a partner.

Pillsbury is just one of those gems. I really see a great effort to cultivate and grow the women here through myriad systems, whether it’s allowing part-time schedules, putting women in leadership positions or including them on important internal teams. The fact that I was part of a partner class that was 75 percent women is one of the things that makes me most proud to be part of this firm.

What advice would you give to a woman who aspires to be a partner at a law firm and also wants to start a family?

To become a partner at any law firm is not easy, and there are sometimes subconscious things that happen when a woman starts a family—the idea that you may need to take a back seat or are not interested in partnership. So it’s important to be very vocal about what your goals are—say it out loud for yourself and for other people.

Also, the road to partnership doesn’t necessarily have to be straight, so it's important to realize that detours are sometimes part of the process. Be comfortable with knowing your limits and that they don’t take away from your ability to become a partner or a leader.

Semma Arzapalo is a Corporate partner in Pillsbury's Los Angeles office. She has two children.