© 2017 The Texas Lawbook.
By Lee Meyercord of Thompson & Knight LLP
I wouldn’t say that my mom inspired me to be an attorney. Instead, she always encouraged me to explore various careers and find one that suits me best. I think she would have been equally happy if I’d become a yoga teacher (my Plan B) as long as I was a self-sufficient, productive member of society. In our house growing up, productive was the mantra, as in: “Everyone must be productive and contribute.” As a single mom, this was as much about necessity as it was about principle: if you didn’t cook dinner when it was your turn, there was no dinner.
What I would say, however, is that I have learned what it takes to be successful in the practice of law and in life from my mom. Success takes grit. Serious grit.
My mom started her practice at a large national law firm and was one of, if not the, first woman hired. She took two weeks off to adopt my oldest brother. (Yep, that is not a typo—only two weeks!) Firm management decided not to give her a bonus as a slap-on-the-wrist because she did not call in during those two weeks. (You know, because she had a BABY.)
So she quit. She went out on her own as a solo practitioner and didn’t make it. Then, after going back with a big firm, she went out on her own a second time. And this time, she made it. As a single mom, this could not have been easy. When my brothers and I were with our Dad, we knew to call her at the office if we needed her—even if it was 10 o’clock at night. She threw herself into her practice, speaking regularly, becoming a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estates Counsel, and developing so much business that she has not accepted new clients in years. She did this while raising three kids by herself.
Watching her, I learned that success takes hard work, dogged determination and patience. It takes a willingness to fail and repeatedly try again. You have to be brave and bold, even when it’s terrifying. When you fail (as you invariably will), you regroup to decide on a new approach. But you don’t give up.
Last July, our relationship took on a new dimension when I became a mom. I realized that I’ve learned a lot about how to be a mom from her, particularly how to be a working mom. I imagine if you ask my mom what it meant to be a working mom, she would talk about the missed PTA meetings and the store-bought cookies for bake sales. Or, she would mention taking us to her office with a sleeping bag when we were too sick to go to school and she had meetings. (For the record, I loved this. It was like camping in Office Depot!) She would probably title this parenting lesson the “Importance of Lowering Your Expectations.”
However, I would title this parenting lesson the “Importance of Priorities.” While she probably did not attend many (if any) PTA meetings, she was always there when it mattered. She was there to take me to the doctor when I broke my wrist playing soccer during recess or split open my nose playing flag football. (I was an accident prone kid.) She was there for my countless plays, dance recitals, and volleyball games.
But most importantly, she was there to consistently and unconditionally show me and my brothers love and respect. As I struggle with the always-illusive work-life balance, I remind myself that while I am a less-than-perfect mom every day, as long as I love and respect my son, I’m giving him what matters.
Lee Meyercord is a Tax Associate in the Dallas office of Thompson & Knight LLP.
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