Page 9 - Dallas Vol 6 No 1

With
Mary Brown
My style
in the courtroom is focused on getting things done. I like to think that my rules, written and unwritten, are grounded in practicality.”
AALM: Do you have any advice for attor- neys trying a case before your bench?
Brown: e best advice I can give to any- one appearing in the 301st Court is to know what you want and put it in writing. is will help you focus on your or your client’s goals and really is a must in order to streamline any proceeding. It will also help the court make its ruling on all the issues presented once the proceeding is concluded.
AALM: What drew you to the legal indus- try?
Brown: I began to consider law school late in my senior year of college. A er gradua- tion, I was unable to get a satisfactory job in my eld of study, which was marketing. I did land a job as a waitress and later moved up to become a bartender. If nothing else, both of those positions fueled my desire to attend law school, and it paid the bills while I applied and was accepted. roughout law school, and in each job therea er, I searched for the law job that would best utilize my strengths. A er four years, I found the closest match and that was the job with the district attorney’s o ce representing CPS. I loved that job, but being a judge is even better.
AALM: What do you love about your job?
Brown: I love being able to help people. Going through a divorce or a child custody proceeding is stressful. While there is very little I can do to prevent that stress, I try not add to it. We try to provide a pleasant, calm environment, stocked with chocolate and plenty of tissue. I feel it is part of my job to help litigants gain the tools they need to get through the court process and beyond. is may translate into orders to complete classes or attend counseling. As parents, we love our children, but we may not always know how to meet their emotional needs. If we can learn some simple solutions that work, well then, problem solved. I get excited about this stu !
AALM: Are there any challenges that you
believe need to be corrected in the legal com- munity?
Brown: I don’t like the idea of any erosion of the right to trial by jury, and I believe that, even in family law, the right to a jury trial is critical. With all its messy parts, trial by jury is still the best option for litigants in certain situations. It is one of the cornerstones of our legal system and provides a crucial check and balance to trial judges. It must be protected and defended.
AALM: What do you do in your spare time? Hobbies?
Brown: For the last 24 years, I have been a working mother, and all my time outside of work was spent on that job. Now that our youngest child is a senior in high school, I have rekindled my love of gardening. I am in the middle of a multi-year landscaping project at my home.
AALM: Tell us about some of your mentors.
Brown: Every judge for whom I have worked, as well as many of my colleagues, have mentored me, but Judge Dee Miller was my rst “judicial mentor,” and I have de nite- ly tried to emulate her judicial style and work ethic. Judge Dennise Garcia has also been a mentor to me and is always there for me when I need help or have a question.
AALM: Who is your legal hero and how do you try to emulate them in your day-to-day life?
Brown: I think my legal hero, as well as my just plain hero, would have to be my late fa- ther. He had the wonderful ability to connect to people and make them feel heard. He was genuinely interested in people and in helping them when he could. I am not as adept at it as he was, but I do try to emulate his behavior in that regard. He would be proud to know that I followed him, as he had followed his father, in becoming a state district judge in Dallas County.
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