Monday Mentors with Austin Appellate Lawyer Amanda Taylor

Amanda Taylor, appellate lawyer with Butler Snow in Austin, shares about how the Coronavirus is impacting their firm and clients, the importance of appellate law throughout the entirely of the litigation, and the importance of treating the law as a profession and not just a job.

• Coronavirus impact on
  • the firm
    • Firm was prepared to move to remote working quickly, so that has been an advantage
    • Zoom Happy Hours to maintain connection
      • Themes are fun!
    • Tiger King making its way into briefs
  • clients
    • labor/employment questions are big
    • restructuring questions
    • regulatory/healthcare
  • courts
    • litigation is down
      • Texas Lawyer report from Angela Morris on filings - number down 50% versus March 2019
      • Should see a surge in filings in Q3 and Q4
    • hearings via zoom
  • the local bar
    • mostly encouraging
    • Blake Hawthorne at Texas Supreme Court has done great job of getting information out to lawyers
    • working together with opposing counsel on deadlines
  • the future
    • prepare for emergencies before they come
    • hurricanes hit Houston every year and occasionally drive people from the office as well
• Her practice
  • Butler Snow is a large law firm with a large presence in the southeast
    • labor/employment
    • pharma lit
    • drug/device lit
    • products liability
    • bankruptcy
    • appellate (Amanda)
  • Board certified in appellate law
    • Yes she's in front of the appellate courts, but she is in the trial court quite a bit as well
      • important to be part of the strategy from the beginning (procedure, jurisdiction, etc.)
      • motions
    • Started out wanting to the a plaintiff's trial lawyer
      • legislature passed tort reform while she was in law school, and her job offer from a plaintiff's firm was deferred
      • Had impressed an appellate judge during a moot court competition, and wound up hiring her as a law clerk
      • Fell in love with appellate work and stayed at the appellate court for three years (under Justice Jan Patterson and Chief Justice Ken Law?)
      • When things change and your plans are thwarted, things can still work out for the best if you have a passion for what you're doing and keep moving forward
  • Appellate practice news/updates?
    • Surrounding jurisdictions are following the lead of Texas appellate courts
      • more sophisticated, stand-alone practice
      • transition of trial lawyers to valuing having an appellate lawyer on their trial team
      • Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia going this way
      • Big following of the hashtag #appellatetwitter on Twitter
• Advice for Associates
  • Understand this is a profession, not just a job
    • positive attitude
    • inquisitive
    • jumping in to help
    • Not focused only on money/bonuses/etc.
    • you'll be much happier
  • Showing initiative
    • Internally
      • follow along with cases happening in the firm; read the pleadings and motions and do some research
      • become an expert in a specific issue that is likely to come up
      • THEN swing by the partner's office and offer specific thoughts/assistance
    • Externally
      • become a thought leader in a specific area of the law that is changing or becoming critical issues
      • Force majeure anyone?!
• Advice for lawyers seeking a job
  • Highlight experiences that demonstrate maturity or life experience
    • if you were a receptionist in an office that allowed you to absorb skills, knowledge, etc., highlight it
    • doesn't have to be in the legal industry
  • Show you line up with key values of the firm (Butler Snow - diversity and inclusion)
  • In the interview
    • Being conversant is the most important part
    • lack of ego
    • showing a passion for the profession
    • Dress the part
    • (Daniel - video interviews now raise new issues for how to present professionally online)
      • If you can get to a private room in an office or library, take advantage of that (once we are out of shelter-in-place)
  • Access to justice is a big issue and opportunity for young lawyers to give back and get great experience doing pro bono work
• Advice for women lawyers
  • Decide what you want, and it doesn't have to be the same as all women or all lawyers
  • It also doesn't have to be the same in each season of life
  • Develop a 1, 3, 5, 10 year plan
    • Maybe at one time you are focusing on work and sacrificing other areas
    • Another time you might reduce hours/pay but still do high quality work on a more limited basis
  • Get a mentor / advocate who can communicate your worth to the firm in a broader way than just billable hours
• Rapid fire Qs
  • important trait/characteristic in an associate - DEDICATION
  • key habit - ORGANIZATION
  • app/tool - LEGAL PAD
  • social distancing activity - LONG WALKS WITH PODCASTS
  • legal movie - LEGALLY BLONDE