Stories and Viewpoints

September 23, 2021

By Jennifer C. Yates

Rachel Battaglia Hileman started working with the Legal team shortly after earning her paralegal certificate. Her goals were clear. The path? Not so much.

“I wanted to go to law school, but I didn’t know how possible it was because I really also wanted to work,” Hileman said. “I love to work.”

That love coupled with the overwhelming support she found with her new colleagues led her to the answer. Professional development was a priority throughout the company, and  five years later Hileman would finish law school while working full-time, having twins and winning national recognition for her hard work as the recipient of an Outstanding Law Student Award from the National Association of Women Lawyers. 

Hileman, director of Global Legal Operations, received the award at her May 2021 graduation from the Duquesne University School of Law. She had been nominated by the faculty, with the Dean of Students writing her a letter of support.

“If there was any award to win, it was certainly this one. This is an organization that really supports women in the law,” Hileman said. “I’m lucky because there are lots of amazing female lawyers at Viatris but that’s not always the case at other companies.”

Providing Support and Flexibility

She said one of the keys to her success was the many mentors she had in the office as well as the support of all of her colleagues. While working full time, Hileman attended law school in the evenings every Monday through Thursday. Her team allowed her the flexibility to do that and excitedly checked in with her often about her progress. In addition, she worked her way up through different roles, recently being promoted to Director of the Global Legal Operations function within the Legal team. Her managers have always seen her work ethic and were willing to give her new opportunities to shine.

“I owe a lot to my success in school to working full-time during school. It was an amazing opportunity to take theory and turn it into true practice at work,” she said. 

Making Professional Development a Priority

Providing all colleagues with opportunities to develop and grow is a priority at Viatris, said Andrew Enrietti, Head of Global Human Relations. That includes providing learning opportunities through on-the-job experiences, special projects, development goals, training programs, interactive online courses and more.

“It’s important to us to build a performance-driven, highly engaging and inclusive culture, and one way we can do that is through supporting the continuing professional development of our employees,” Enrietti said. 

Anything’s Possible When You Love What You Do

During her last year in law school, Hileman and her husband learned that she was expecting twins. During her pregnancy, she didn’t miss a beat, maintaining a grade point average above 3.5 and continuing to be a strong contributor and make a difference in the office. She gave birth to a boy and girl, Renly and Stella, just three months after graduating. 

“Rachel really exemplifies the behaviors that position us for success at Viatris,” said Brian Roman, Global General Counsel and Hileman’s manager. “We’re proud of all that she’s accomplished.”

A native of Pittsburgh, Hileman received her undergraduate degree from Waynesburg University. She lives in the Pittsburgh suburbs with her husband, Trevor, and her growing, active twins. 

“I love what I do, and I really love and appreciate the work my team does,” Hileman said. “All their hard work really inspires me every day.”