Career series: Elisabeth Stewart Bradley, Bristol Myers Squibb

Elisabeth Stewart Bradley, vice president of innovation law, trademarks, copyrights, and brand protection at Bristol Myers Squibb, explains how her love of words complements an unexpected career in IP, and the benefits of a non-traditional leadership style.

Tell us about the course of your career.

I studied English literature and psychology at The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and was set on earning a PhD and becoming a professor. There were no attorneys in my family and having a legal career had never crossed my mind, but in the final semester of my senior year, I took a business law class, and was fascinated.

I decided to become a paralegal to learn more about the law, and after graduation, I worked as a corporate paralegal for a large US law firm in Virginia.

I then applied to law school, where I focused on litigation, and honed my writing and oral argument skills. After a few years practicing general litigation in New York City, I worked on a domain name cybersquatting case.