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MOTHERHOOD AND A CAREER YOU CAN HAVE BOTH M y mom never finished her undergraduate degree. She got married during her undergraduate years and decided to press pause on the pursuit of her degree so that my dad could finish his. Eventually, she attended night classes at the local community college to become a Rosie the Riveter-type figure, building fighter jets — cool job, right? When I was growing up, she always told me to wait until my undergraduate degree was finished before getting married. So what did I do? I got married as an undergraduate. I also had my first child before I completed my degree. In fact, I had my second child during my master’s coursework. By the time I decided to go to law school, I was a mother of four. A lot of people would think this trajectory is crazy, but I’m very happy I chose that course. In my eyes, you can have it all, but you can’t have it all at once. A lot of women decide to start their families after their careers are already rolling. I opted to do things in reverse. Mom’s advice was solid, but I think she would agree that things worked out just fine. To be honest, I don’t know how anyone does the stay-at-home mom thing. It’s really hard work without a clock-out time. I applaud the women who choose this route, but I found a different route that worked best for me. Having a career and raising children at the same time has always provided me with a great sense of balance. When I’m with my kids, I’m fully invested in them. The same goes for work. Having a chance to take a break from one to focus on the other has worked very well for me. When I was going to law school, I drove two states away to take my classes on the weekends. I viewed those drives as the rare chances to have car rides that didn’t include Barney or the Wiggles. I would listen to my course materials on tape (yes, cassette tape) on the way up. On the way back, I’d plug in my
hands-free setup and talk to friends and family. The only time I left with a sense of regret was when my youngest had a tonsillectomy. The surgery was done, but my baby hadn’t been discharged before I left. It broke my heart to leave that weekend. Thankfully, everything turned out just fine.
Being in school while raising my kids had some benefits I didn’t foresee at the time. Many parents struggle to get their children to do their homework. I never had that problem, because I had homework of my own. “Mommy has homework too,” I would tell them. “It’s not always fun or easy, but I always do it.” To this day, I make sure to maintain a healthy home-work balance. I keep banker’s hours rather than those of your typical lawyer, because I don’t like to miss a sporting event or school concert. I also encourage my staff to focus on their home lives when they need to. Not only does this make them happier, but it also increases their productivity. It’s hard to focus on your job when your mind is scattered in a thousand different directions.
“Having a career and
raising children at the same time
has always provided me with a great sense of balance. When I’m with my kids, I’m fully invested in them. The same goes for work.”
I bring this up this month because Keri, our paralegal, just had a beautiful baby named Zoey. You’ll see more of baby Zoey inside this issue. I want to wish Keri a wonderful maternity leave. Enjoy the time with your little one, Keri. The office won’t be the same without you, but we’ll do our best to manage. Whenever you’re ready to come back, we’ll be right here waiting for you. -Melissa Emery WWW.EMERYLAWOFF I CE . COM | 1
NEED A PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO MANAGE YOUR KIDS’ CRAZY SCHEDULES?
School has started. Youth sports are in full swing. Work is crazy. Food has become more about necessity than enjoyment. All of this can only mean one thing: Fall has begun. The crazy schedules this time of year can make it tough for parents to keep their heads on straight; making it through the insanity sometimes feels more like survival than life. But there are tactics you can employ to turn the tide and find more time for yourself. TAG TEAM There’s no reason to try to do everything on your own. The phrase “It takes a village to raise a child” exists because managing the stressors of life requires help. A great place to start is by establishing car pools with a parent group you trust. You can alternate drivers weekly, which provides the opportunity for you to focus your attention on other priorities — or if you’re lucky, have some freedom. THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB Technology makes organization easier and more accessible than ever. By using a tool like a shared calendar, you can coordinate the entire family’s schedule TRY THESE 3 TIPS INSTEAD
so you never miss a beat. And apps like Mealime and MealBoard give you the ability to whip up food that is cost-effective and delicious.
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK While you’re busy trying to rally the troops at soccer practice, the scene at home resembles a horror movie. Laundry is piling up, food is spoiling in the fridge, and the dust bunnies around the house now have names. Housecleaning is a part- time job in its own right. The only way to stay on top of duties around the house is to work together. A chore chart with clear responsibilities is a great place to start. Whether you have one child or eight, everyone is capable of pitching in. You can have all the organizational abilities in the world, but the best way to manage life’s madness isn’t by directing day-to-day tasks; it’s by managing stress. Instead of using these tools to control life, look at them as a way to free up time so you can decompress and enjoy the things you love.
MEET STEVE DAMRON
THE NEW ATTORNEY AT EMERY LAW OFFICE
had the chance to study law, I jumped at it. After passing the bar, I was ready to begin my second career — the one I had planned for all along.
A word from Melissa:
I’m so happy to add Steve Damron to the team here at Emery Law Office. While I could spend all day boring you with plaudits for Steve, I figured it would be best to let him introduce himself in his own words. Take it away, Steve! I always intended to go to law school, but I had to wait awhile to pursue that lifelong goal. After completing my undergraduate degree in paralegal studies, I began working for the federal government. I looked up 27 years later and realized I still had that dream. When I finally
From the second I talked to Melissa, I knew that I would be proud to join Emery Law Office. You only have to talk to Melissa for a few minutes to know that her energy and passion are contagious. It’s a cliché in this profession to say that you care, but it’s not just lip service when you hear it from Melissa. I’ve never met anyone so dedicated to their clients. On top of that, Melissa manages to get stuff done at a rate that could best be described as superhuman. I’m very fortunate to be able to learn from and work alongside her. When I’m not busy at my dream job, I love to travel and explore different cultures. I guess you could also call me a foodie, because whenever I hear about a restaurant I haven’t been to, I make plans to check it out. One of the great things about living and working in the Louisville area is the incredible array of delicious options. Just a few weeks ago, I went to the Come Back Inn for the first time. Their Bolognese was off the charts. I look forward to getting to know you over the coming months and years. Signing on at Emery Law Office feels like the start of a wonderful adventure.
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HAVE A LAUGH!
INSIDE-OUT GRILLED HAM AND CHEESE
INGREDIENTS
• 8 slices of bread (Pullman works best) • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• 8 ounces
ham, thinly sliced • 1/2 pound Swiss cheese, sliced
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard • 1/4 cup apricot preserves
DIRECTIONS
WE WANT YOU TO THINK OF US AS YOUR LAW FIRM. If you have a legal matter that needs attention, let us know. If we can’t handle the matter, we will refer you to a firm that can. Please feel free to refer us to your friends and family for their legal needs. We welcome the opportunity to help. 1. Butter each slice of bread on the outsides and sprinkle with Parmesan. 2. Layer ham and cheese evenly on top of 4 slices of bread. 3. Spread apricot preserves and mustard across the other 4 slices. Press sandwiches together. 4. In a cast-iron skillet or large sauté pan over medium heat, grill sandwiches until golden, about 3 minutes per side. 5. Cut in half and serve.
BABY ZOEY! On Aug. 2, Keri, our beloved paralegal, gave birth to her second daughter, Zoey. Zoey was born healthy and
Inspired by Food & Wine magazine
smiling, weighing 7 pounds, 15.7 ounces, and measuring 20.5 inches. She’s also incredibly cute. Welcome, Zoey! Congratulations, Keri!
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call or text ( 502 ) 771 - 1 LAW ( 1529)
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AWORKING MOM’S STORY 1 INSIDE
3 TIPS TO HELP ORGANIZE YOUR CRAZY LIFE SPOTLIGHT ON STEVE DAMRON 2 BABY ZOEY! INSIDE-OUT GRILLED HAM AND CHEESE 3
WHY LABOR DAY IS INDEBTED TO THE PULLMAN STRIKE 4
HOW A RAILROAD PROTEST LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR A NATIONAL HOLIDAY THE PULLMAN STRIKE AND THE ORIGIN OF LABOR DAY
T oday, Labor Day mostly means a day off and the closure of public pools. But when it was first created, it was a president’s desperate attempt to curb the tension after one of the most violent strike breakups in American history. In the late 19th century, the workers of the Pullman Company, which manufactured luxury train cars, all lived in a company-owned town. George Pullman, the owner, lived in a mansion overlooking houses, apartments, and crammed-together barracks, all of which were rented by the thousands of workers needed for the operation. For some time, the town operated without a hitch, providing decent wages for the workers while netting the higher-ups millions of dollars. But after the economic depression of the 1890s brought the country to its knees, everything changed. George Pullman slashed his workers’ wages by nearly 30 percent, but he neglected to adjust the rent on the company-owned buildings in
turn. As a result, life became untenable in the town, with workers struggling to maintain the barest standards of living for themselves and their families.
In response, the workers began a strike on May 11, 1894. As the event ramped up, it gained the support of the powerful American Railway Union (ARU). But Pullman, stubborn as he was, barely acknowledged the strike was happening, and he refused to meet with the organizers. The tension increased when Eugene Debs, the president of the American Railway Union, organized a boycott of all trains that included Pullman cars. The strike continued to escalate until workers and Pullman community members managed to stop the trains from running. Eventually, President Grover Cleveland sent in soldiers to break up the strike. Violence ensued, with soldiers making a great effort to quell the strike at its core. By the time the violence ended, 30 people had lost their lives and an estimated $80 million in damages had been caused throughout the town. A few months later, President Grover Cleveland declared Labor Day a federal holiday. Many experts believe that this act was an effort to build rapport among his pro-labor constituents after handling the incident so poorly.
This month, as you fire up the barbecue and enjoy your day off, take a moment to remember the workers who fought for labor rights in our country.
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