Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 6, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 17 OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN BUSINESS F O C U S Patricia Davidson Attorney and partner Mirick, in Worcester Residence: Ashland Education: Bachelor's degree from Smith College and juris doctor from Suffolk University Law School How are things changing for professional women? In 2025, we have intergenerational women professionals and leaders, who bring a variety of talent, creativity, mentorship, and grit to problem- solving and strategic thinking. While there are still barriers to a truly level planning field, all women at all stages unapologetically should pursue professional goals and unapologetically should bring their own values and perspectives to their careers and community. To make the world, or any tiny segment of the world, a better place, we need more women at every table. Davidson helps all boats to rise BY SUSAN SHALHOUB Special to WBJ I t all comes full circle, said Patricia Davidson, a litigation partner at law firm Mirick and head of its probate, trust, and fiduciary litigation team. "It's very special here, with a strong culture of collegiality among our 75 attorneys," Davidson said. "I am always eager to invite others to the firm." Mirick, which has offices in Worces- ter, Westborough, and Boston, has been good to her, and she wants to spread the love around. "Here for 27 years now, I am a real champion of the firm," she said. For those beginning their career track or making a career change, getting the word out about Mirick comes naturally to Davidson, so does mentoring once they arrive. "Trish and I have practiced togeth- er for 25 years since I started here at Mirick, fresh out of law school. She has been a great friend and mentor," said David McCay, a partner at Mirick. Raised in Framingham and married for 32 years to Howard Caplan, a DJ and producer for WICN in Worcester, the 60-year-old Davidson enjoys meeting those in the legal field she can tell about Mirick. She does this in part through avid volunteerism. e firm encourages at- torneys to give back, and Davidson has taken the hint and then some. "She serves on more nonprofit boards than anyone I know," said McCay. Rather than jump from one board to another, Davidson remains loyal to a small group of organizations for long periods of time. She is a member of e Boys & Girls Clubs of MetroWest and has been for almost 22 years, Jeremi- ah's Inn in Worcester for more than 23 years; and served on the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick for more than 15 years before her tenure ended due to term limits. Davidson has sat on the board of Easterseals Massachusetts in Worcester for about seven years, and the Mechanics Hall board in Worcester for about three. She stays with organizations because over time, camaraderie develops, she said. Strong relationships improve leadership and the chance to make positive impact on an organization's mission and the people it serves, she said. For Davidson, truly understanding and serving the mission brings rewards for the community and for herself, with professional and personal relationships established and goals accomplished. "You know people better when they become better and get things done," she said. Davidson lives by the philosophy of a rising tide lis all boats, which she takes with her into charitable work and her mentorship men and women at Mirick. Maintaining the firm's open-door policy is a way she keeps this culture alive, whether a colleague could use guidance on a client, work-life balance, or other matters. "Let's make sure our grief is from external forces," she said. "Not internal forces." Davidson speaks of what she knows. She regularly counsels feuding family members on issues like contested wills or real estate disputes. She always tells new mentees things will not always go the way they want in the legal world, no matter how much preparation is done. "You don't always get what you want if you put it in the hands of a judge and jury," she said. "We deal with a lot of variables almost every day: emotional and economical, legal standards … All can be unpredictable and a source of frustration." Davidson has been voted a Mas- sachusetts Super Lawyer by Boston magazine and Law & Politics from 2013 to the present. She is a Boys & Girls Club of MetroWest 2025 Ron Young Lifetime Achievement Award winner and 2017 Michael C. Sullivan award winner. e Girl Scouts of the Montachusett Council designated her a Woman of Distinction in 2003, and Davidson was a Worcester Business Journal 40 Under Forty recipient in 2001. "She is the epitome of what a Mirick lawyer should be: smart, compassion- ate, responsive, and committed to the community," said McCay. PHOTO | MATT WRIGHT W

• Cover