An Interview With Melissa Schoffer Farber, Director of Legal Affairs at Sou

Science + Tech

An Interview With Melissa Schoffer Farber, Director of Legal Affairs at SoulCycle

An Interview With Melissa Schoffer Farber, Director of Legal Affairs at Sou Image

How does one combine a love for media and culture with an interest in law? By working at SoulCycle, naturally! But, wait—let’s back up for a minute and explain. You see, Melissa Schoffer Farber, Esq., 34, graduated from college with a degree in journalism and media studies, but always knew she wanted to attend law school as well. While searching for jobs after obtaining her law degree, Melissa kept her ear to the ground, listening out for a career that would allow her to take advantage of all of her skills—which led her to 92^nd Street Y. After that? She found her niche at SoulCycle working as their Director of Legal Affairs.

Melissa now spends her days as an in-house attorney at SoulCycle dealing mostly with intellectual property law. Her love for the fitness mecca began when she started taking classes at their original location on the Upper West Side—which incidentally is the same place where she met her husband (aww!). She became enamored by their inspirational workout and now gets to help them put their best “cycling shoe” forward everyday.

Although her schedule can be pretty hectic, Melissa always finds downtime to be with her husband and to enjoy the New York arts scene (along with a regular SoulCycle class, of course). Melissa truly enjoys working with others who also love what they do, and is constantly inspired by her colleagues. Really, what more could you ask for?

Her Starting Point

You started your career in journalism and media studies. What was it about these fields that sparked your interest?

I’ve always loved magazines! I think I still have my favorite issues of Jane Magazine somewhere. And I love to write. So, I wanted to gain a strong background in the art of storytelling and the larger world of journalism at a time when technology was quickly growing.

Early on, you completed internships at Ralph Lauren and Self Magazine. Which of these two internships would you say was the most beneficial to your current career and why?

Each internship benefited my career in a unique way.

Ralph Lauren was my very first internship—that summer experience gave me a taste of what it was like to live and work in New York City—something I always dreamed I would have the opportunity to do. I was in the Men’s Public Relations Department with a small team of people who exposed me to the importance of strong and effective teamwork.

The internship with Self Magazine was part of a summer internship program with Condé Nast, introducing me to the world of mass media with the chance to hear from acclaimed editors such as Anna Wintour.

Together, these experiences—during pivotal summers before my junior and senior years of college—aided me in the process of making larger career choices.

What made you decide to make the leap from journalism school to law school? Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in law?

I always had an interest in going to law school. My father is an attorney and I admired the way he earned a J.D. and used it to pursue his interest in real estate. I wanted to do something similar—in my case, I wanted to earn a J.D. and blend my interests in media and culture with the law.

In addition to your degrees in journalism and law, you also hold a Master of Laws from the George Washington University Law School. What made you want to go the extra mile? How did this degree ultimately benefit the career you have today?

Intellectual Property was the combination of law, media and culture I was looking for, and I wanted to gain expertise in that area. Having the opportunity to earn this degree in Washington, D.C. proved to be an excellent experience as well—providing me with exposure to the Copyright Office and the Patent and Trademark Office. The LL.M. gave me a niche that helped me gain my first legal position at the 92nd Street Y—I stood out as a candidate because they were looking for support with rights clearance and I had a background in Intellectual Property.

Currently, Intellectual Property is an integral part of my role at SoulCycle. As an in-house attorney, my work certainly varies, but Intellectual Property is a definite constant and a key component of my daily responsibilities.

Her Big Break

You worked at cultural and community center 92nd Street Y for almost seven years. Was the move to SoulCycle a shock to the system, or did you feel 'at home' right away? What’s your favorite thing about working at SoulCycle?

The move to SoulCycle was completely organic, and I felt instantly at home. I attribute this to the fact that I was a SoulCycle rider long before I had the great pleasure of working here. I have so many favorite things about working at SoulCycle—but above all, I love working with people who love what they do, and who love working with each other. There’s an incredibly inspiring energy at SoulCycle that starts with SoulCycle’s co-founders and co-CEOs, Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice, who have grown this business from one small studio (that I remember so well!) to more than 30 studios nationwide. Working at SoulCycle each day reminds me that anything is possible!

What are some of your strategies for staying organized and efficient?

I am regularly re-thinking my strategies to be as effective and efficient as possible. I’ll confess it’s a topic I read about when I can in order to uncover new tricks and advice on time management.

Something I’ve found helpful is carefully planning my calendar to carve out dedicated time for tasks in between meetings. I block out an hour and a half each day for “uninterrupted time” to focus on important and time-sensitive projects. I also am a big fan of to-do lists, but these can often get unruly. So, I like to make a three-item to-do list at the end of the day in an effort to be on point with a plan for the following day.

What is the most difficult part of intellectual property law? What are some problems or issues that you sometimes run into, and how do you overcome them?

I have the opportunity to do a considerable amount of international Intellectual Property work. Challenges come into play with the nuances of this practice area around the world. I have the benefit of working collaboratively with foreign counsel to help us put our best foot (cycling shoe!) forward.

SoulCycle is based on a unique and progressive idea that promotes overall health and fitness. As an intellectual property lawyer, does this make your job harder because so many people want to create services, products or companies that model SoulCycle?

Not at all. SoulCycle is leading the fitness revolution with its unique approach to fitness and development into a lifestyle brand.

Her Perspective

Aside from SoulCycle classes, what are some of your favorite pastimes and activities? How do you de-stress after a long day at work?

My favorite de-stress activity after a long day is having dinner with my husband. He is an excellent cook and we have dinner together at home at least two nights per week. When the weather permits, I enjoy a stroll in our neighborhood with my husband and our dog. I also love taking in the arts of New York City—particularly theater—and reality TV is a definite de-stress go-to for me, too!

Judging by your positions at 92nd Street Y and SoulCycle, your focus in law seems to be on health, fitness and culture. What about these areas interests you? How did you manage to find your niche in the world of intellectual property law?

As for culture, I love it all—from magazines, to television and theater. Growing up, I appreciated every trip to New York City and all the Broadway shows we saw together as a family. In fact, this continues to be a major part of our family routine.

I didn’t take my first Intellectual Property course until my third year of law school, and when I did, I knew I had found the area of law for me. It was the practice area most closely tied to media, arts and culture. I knew I wanted an in-house position, which is hard to come by when you are straight out of school. Many recommended I start at a law firm, but I was steadfast about finding an in-house opportunity.

I was able to enter the in-house world through the non-profit sector, at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. When I saw they were looking for a Legal/Copyright Clearance Coordinator, I thought this would be the perfect start. And it was. I began in this role by clearing rights for the broadcasting of 92nd Street Y programs. This position evolved during the course of my years there, as the daily routine of an in-house attorney is constantly changing, but Intellectual Property remained a consistent part of my duties.

In terms of fitness, I didn’t discover my passion for it until I took my first SoulCycle class. At SoulCycle, I discovered a workout featuring fantastic and inspiring music taught by incredible instructors—this felt like performance meets fitness. Drawing from the in-house experience I had at the 92nd Street Y, I stepped into a role with SoulCycle that allowed me to further exercise my passion for Intellectual Property and apply my legal experience in other practice areas in a new and super exciting setting.

Does the fact that you met your husband at SoulCycle make working there even more intrinsically special? We’d love to hear that story!

Absolutely. SoulCycle feels like my home away from home. I have often thought back to my very first SoulCycle class—if someone had told me then I would find the love of my life and the job of my dreams at SoulCycle, I would not have believed it!

As for our story, my husband and I met at the original studio on the Upper West Side. We took many of the same classes, and often found ourselves standing next to each other as we’d wait for lockers to free up from those in the previous class. I quickly developed a crush! We started talking as we’d wait, learning more about each other with every class. One fateful evening, we ran into each other by chance on the Upper East Side, and soon thereafter we had our first date after a SoulCycle class! We celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary in November.

We continue to ride together whenever we can, and I love that my husband shares my passion for and commitment to the world of SoulCycle!

And finally, what do you wake up looking forward to? What’s next for your career?

My grandfather always emphasized how important it is to wake up every day excited about what you do. I’m lucky to say that I do. I love working at SoulCycle, applying my legal interests and personal passions. What’s next for me is continuing to develop at SoulCycle and grow personally and professionally in my role, constantly inspired my colleagues around me.