Wanji J. Walcott, Esq.
Managing Counsel
American Express
New York City
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Wanji
J. Walcott has always been passionate about advocating for herself and
for others, so when her father suggested she become a lawyer she
followed suit. For nearly 20 years, Walcott has sharpened her legal
skills at firms such as Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman L.L.P. and at
Lockheed Martin IMS Corp. She received a bachelor?s from Howard
University, her juris doctorate from Howard University School of Law,
and currently serves as managing counsel at American Express. She
supervises a group of 18 lawyers who provide global legal support to the
company and its various business units in the areas of complex
technology contracts, e-commerce and social media initiatives, data
security, outsourcing, real estate and procurement.
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Walcott
has received numerous professional accolades throughout her career,
including from the Lawyer?s Alliance of New York in 2003. In 2012, she
won the Council of Urban Professional Change Agent in the Law Award.
While she cherishes the accolades she has received to date, she is most
proud of being the co-founder of the pro bono department at American
Express. ?There?s a lot of people who don?t have access to legal
services and I feel that I work with a group of smart and talented
people whose expertise can really benefit the community,? Walcott
remarks. ?It?s about identifying a need and fulfilling it.?
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When
she isn?t hard at work Walcott enjoys spending time with her husband
and two daughters, golfing, skiing and playing basketball. She jokes
that if she weren?t practicing law, she would be a referee for a living.
That?s a dream that will have to wait for a while as Walcott pursues
her long-term career goal of becoming general counsel within a Fortune
500 company. To the young women who would like to follow in her
footsteps, she offers a simple affirmation: ?You can be and do anything
you want.?
