Ed. note: This is the latest installment in a series of posts on motherhood in the legal profession, in partnership with our friends at MothersEsquire. Welcome Sara Waidelich and Jamie Szal back to our pages. Click here if you’d like to donate to MothersEsquire.
‘Twas the night before trial
And all through the halls
The copiers were printing
Exhibits and court protocols
The papers were drafted and edited with care
With hope for the opening statement that soon would be there
The lead lawyer-mom was panicked with a feeling of dread
While visions of trial strategy danced in her head
The mom in her suit, and her child in her lap,
Both desperately in need of a long winter’s nap
When out of her Inbox there arose such a clatter,
She rushed to her phone to see what was the matter.
Away to the Teams meeting she flew like a flash,
Just in time for her computer to crash.
She restarted in earnest to get back in the flow,
Dreaming of wowing the jurors on the morrow
When what to her bloodshot eyes did appear,
But a notice from daycare — the kind every mom fears
That she needed to make other childcare plans quick.
A lice contagion was spreading! Demanding nit picks.
More rapid than reindeer her mom guilt grew great
“Pick the kid up!” “But my clients!” “Can’t be late!”
First rush out! Then rush back!! And don’t forget the kid!
Or the brief, or the trial. No wonder anxiety kicked in.
To the top of the court steps! To the top of the hall [of justice]!
“Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!”
The perfect, powerful closing on standby
So much to finish, she can barely say “hi.”
So up to the store for lice wash she flew
With the car full of trial files, and exhibit boxes too —
Then later, while wondering if it all was a spoof
Her mind returned to her burden of proof.
She remembered the powerful case she had found,
And pondered whether her court would be bound
She was harried and frazzled, from her head to her foot,
As she decided on what page that case cite should be put
Her one name was “mommy,” but her suit was so black
She laughed that it was lice making her crack.
Then she added the case to her brief with a cite, saying
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Jamie Szal assists businesses understand and strategically approach state and local tax compliance as a partner at the firm of Brann & Isaacson. Outside of work, Jamie is an active volunteer in her communities: serving on the Trinity College Board of Trustees and as a founding member of the college’s Women’s Leadership Council. She also is a member of the Board of MothersEsquire, involved with the Maine State Bar Association Women’s Law Section, and President of the board of Community Dental of Maine. She co-authored best-sellers “#Networked” and “Women in Law” about the power of women supporting women.
Sarah Waidelich is a partner at Honigman LLP in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She focuses her practice on intellectual property litigation, with a particular focus on patent litigation, and is a Lateral Hiring Partner for the IP Department. Sarah is the mom of two beautiful little boys, and in her free time she enjoys traveling with her husband and sons, baking, and watching sports. You can contact Sarah directly at [email protected].
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