Finally, after years of attempting to find a balance, I have found one. I have been practicing law as a mother now for 17 years and it has been quite the challenge, especially since I have always been a single mother. During these years I divorced my first husband and became a widow when my second husband died. I have learned how to balance my career with my priority to guide and love my children. The way to balance has been through prayer, faith, yoga and meditation. I have learned that if I put my Creator and my desire to serve above all, then my life falls into a perfect balance. I am blessed now to have a career that allows me flexibility and the ability to be of service and two teenagers who are straight A students and exceptional athletes.
How does being an attorney help you to be a better mom?
I am a better mom as a result of practicing law because the practice empowers me. I have great self esteem because I do esteemable work. It feels so good to be able to serve others in my community in such an impactful way. People come to me under very stressful circumstances and because of my dedication and discipline to the practice of law, I am able to assist people and alleviate their stress. This is good for my spirit and theirs and then I go home happy.
Over time, I have become skilled at the practice of bankruptcy law so I have much less stress and my mistakes are minimal. I have learned that everything is negotiable and that courteousness goes a long way.
I love practicing law and my children thrive because their mom has a career that fulfills her spirit…
How does being a mom, help you to be a better attorney?
Goodness, parenting two children on my own has taught me how to manage. It has enabled me to keep control of my courtroom. I am a traffic court hearing officer and I often view the courtroom as a living room of teenagers . I learned that I must respect you so that I am respected. My ability to multitask and control and manage makes courtroom work seem easy. Nothing seems to intimidate me anymore. Raising and participating in a successful family (my two teenage children, my boyfriend, his children and our dog) is the greatest and most fulfilling challenge. All else feels quite easy most of the time. When I come to work, I can focus usually on one task at a time, at home I have learned to focus and manage many tasks at once.
– Andrea Anderson is an Of Counsel attorney with Bogin, Munns & Munns, practicing bankruptcy, estate planning, family law, and criminal defense. She welcomes questions and comments regarding the above and can be reached at aanderson@boginmunns.com.
NOTICE: The article above is not intended to serve as legal advice, and you should not rely on it as such. It is offered only as general information. You should consult with a duly licensed attorney regarding your Florida legal matter, as every situation is unique. Please know that merely reading this article, subscribing to this blog, or otherwise contacting Bogin, Munns & Munns does not establish an attorney-client relationship with our firm. Should you seek legal representation from Bogin, Munns & Munns, any such representation must first be agreed to by the firm and confirmed in a written agreement.
