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most successful at work and home when we’re balanced.”
McSpadden credits her father, part- ner Glenn Sodd, for providing invaluable knowledge and inspiration. “Being able to practice law with him has made represent- ing landowners and protecting property rights even more rewarding and has also made me successful as an attorney and a parent,” she says.
McSpadden says leading a successful business career while maintaining an equal- ly positive home life is all about priorities and balance. Juggling home and work can be a barrier for women who want to be trial attorneys, but who struggle with the bal- ance of a busy career and raising a family.
“But it can be done,” she says. “Sur- rounding yourself with positive female role models, being diligent about the way you use your time and being focused on working hard are all key aspects to making it work.”
Success in Hard Work
“My basic philosophy is that what sets us apart from other attorneys is our prep- aration, hard work and desire to protect every single client’s property rights, re- gardless of how di cult and complex the case may be,” she says. “No case is without issues – the more complex the case is, the more fun it is to dig in and try to nd a solution that helps the landowner. I try to put in as much preparation on the front end of a case as possible because the ma- jority of the time, success is achieved by outworking your opponent. When you turn over every stone, that’s when you nd those special little nuggets of information that many people will miss and you can turn that into something that’s huge on a unique legal principle or unique valua- tion principle. at’s when you truly feel rewarded and are able to represent your clients in a way that sets you apart from other rms. My ongoing question in a case is, ‘Have I done everything I can do to make sure this client is covered?’ And I don’t stop until I’m certain the answer to that question is yes.”
Outside the Courtroom
McSpadden was selected to the Texas Rising Star list from 2005 to 2007 and for 2014 and 2015. She is a member of the Na- varro County Bar Association, Dallas Bar Association, Dallas Women Lawyers Asso- ciation, Texas Trial Lawyers Association,
and State Bar of Texas. McSpadden was ap- pointed by the mayor of Corsicana to the city of Corsicana’s Planning and Zoning Board, where she served for several years before resigning her position. She has also served as co-chairperson of the Navarro County Youth Exposition.
“Being community oriented and help- ing others is something both of my parents taught me and it’s something I want to pass on to my children as well,” says McSpadden.
She married Chris McSpadden in 1998 and she says he’s the backbone of her ability to maintain a busy law rm practice while also having quality family time. e couple and their four children – Will, Annie, Jake and Luke – enjoy spending time together at their ranch, e Refuge, where among other chores they manage a whitetail deer operation and raise beef cattle. When Mc- Spadden needs a day o she enjoys helping Chris at their ranch and, most of all, being on a tractor with headphones in her ears
and no worries but being sure she mows the places where Chris tells her to mow.
Blessed With a Drive
Working for landowners is something McSpadden has loved from the moment she began representing property owners in condemnation cases. “It’s a challenge ev- ery day. It’s something new every day. And every day, I’m putting my time and e ort into helping folks who have been put into a nightmare of a situation. Knowing I’ve been able to use my skills to advocate for these people is something I can never be thankful enough for.”
Maintaining the proper balance be- tween personal and professional life can be a challenge, but it is a challenge McSpad- den embraces. She says, “It’s o en stressful, but I thrive in that stress. I really enjoy it. I try to take care of folks. I think God has blessed me with a speci c drive and I enjoy being able to put it to good use,” she says.
Dawson & Sodd LLP
121 N. Main St. Corsicana, TX 75110 (903) 872-8181 www.dawsonsodd.com
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