During the month of March Strauss Troy is celebrating Women’s History Month by highlighting several of its female attorneys. We sat down with them to get their thoughts on topics such as the importance of Women’s History Month, breaking down barriers faced by women in the industry, advice they’d give to other women in the field, and who inspires them.
Today we are highlighting Michelle E. Reid. Michelle is a Shareholder at Strauss Troy focusing her practice on Commercial Real Estate in the Cincinnati office.
Q: What does Women’s History Month mean to you?
A: It is an acknowledgment of the crucial role that women play in our society and that there is still important work to be done before women achieve true equality.
Q: What is the best part of a typical work day at Strauss Troy?
A: Driving past projects that I have worked on because I am proud of my client’s success and the improvement to the community.
Q: What advice would you give to women in your field?
A: Find both a male and female mentor within the field. Both will offer perspectives that will provide you with a better understanding of how to approach issues.
Q: How are you breaking barriers faced by women in your field?
A: The national average of female shareholders in law firms hovers around 20%, and even fewer are moms. I have had three children in the past five years, making shareholder when my second child was a little over a year old. It takes a lot of effort, creativity, and delegation to be both a mom and a lawyer. I also have a supportive spouse and friends who are law moms that I regularly source ideas and empathy from during the busiest times.
Q: Who is a woman that inspires you, and why?
A: My mother. She was one of the very few women in her mechanical engineering courses at the University of Kentucky and worked her way up the ranks at General Electric—going from a co-op to a high level executive. She achieved that by never letting adversity discourage her and instead, using it as fuel to demonstrate just how good she was at her career. I was lucky to see that happen from my very first breath.
To learn more about Michelle and her practice group, visit her page here: https://www.strausstroy.com/attorneys/mereid/.