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at trial. I try to encourage women to get in- volved, and to actively seek out opportunity instead of waiting for opportunity to come to them. What I try to pass on are tools that I was provided by my own mentors, and they are goals that I still have to push myself to reach: (1) seek opportunity; (2) be prepared to take on challenges; (3) don’t be afraid to fail; (4) when you do fail (and you will some- times!), focus on the lesson in the failures; and (5) cherish the wins and enjoy the ride along the way!
AALM: Do you nd that as a woman you face any challenges that men don’t?
Baker-Barnes: Yes, I think that as women lawyers, one of the biggest challenges we face is not being taken seriously, and the percep- tion that somehow because we are women, we are not tough enough to be successful. Because of those perceptions, I think we face more obstacles than men in generating busi- ness, earning a seat at the table and playing major roles in litigation and at trial. I think rst, we have to believe in ourselves and re- fuse to let these perceptions stand in the way of our success. Next, we have to be vocal and seek out the opportunity to achieve, but with that comes the responsibility to be prepared and to be successful when we get that oppor- tunity. I think the more we demonstrate that these are in fact just perceptions, not reality, and the more that potential clients and man- aging partners see the bene t we as women lawyers provide, we can help to minimize these stereotypes that can serve as obstacles to our success.
AALM: Tell us something about yourself that people would be surprised to learn.
Baker-Barnes: I travel just about every week for work, but I am terri ed of ying on planes. I have learned tools to cope, like working and focusing on other things besides the ight, but, the smaller the plane, the hard- er it is for me to cope. Just another challenge I face all the time!
AALM: How do you balance your home life and work life?
Baker-Barnes: I think balancing work and home life is extremely di cult, if not impos- sible. So, I generally use the term “blending” work and home life because that is the only way I can try to be successful at both. I have three busy children, an active trial practice and I am involved in my local and legal com- munity. I try to include my children in my community involvement, both as a way for us to spend time together and to teach them the importance of giving back. Ultimately, I think you have to consciously make time for
both, that means carving out family time rst on your schedule, and then sticking to it. e process is o en di cult, but the results are worth it. I believe that when we take time for our families, it makes us better lawyers and better people.
AALM: How are you involved in the legal and local community?
Baker-Barnes: I am a strong proponent of community involvement. I think it helps us stay connected, meet new people and learn about how we can assist those in need. Currently, I serve as president of the Palm Beach County Bar Association. My theme for this year is “You’ve Been Served: Lawyers Answering the Summons to Community Service.” e focus is to highlight the posi- tive impact that lawyers have in our com- munities and beyond. In my local commu- nity, I am a past president of the West Palm Beach Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, a national organization dedicated to com- munity service. During my tenure, I helped to establish a program at a local elementary school called, “Planting Seeds for the Fu- ture,” designed to emphasize the importance of diet and exercise, and help to prevent dia- betes and heart disease. Over two semesters, the students developed their own exercise video and planted a dedicated vegetable gar- den on school grounds.
AALM: What accomplishment are you most proud of achieving?
Baker-Barnes: I have been privileged to represent many families following the un- fortunate injury of their child due to medical negligence. In some cases, parents of young babies have been told that their children will never walk or live a normal life because of someone else’s negligence. In prosecuting the cases on behalf of the children, I have been able to get the very best in medical care, therapy and assistance. With the right nurs- ing care and educational assistance, they were able to push the limits and live full, ac- tive lives. Now, several of them are walking and reaching milestones their parents never thought they could achieve. ese successes are the results of tireless work by both parents and children, with the support necessary to meet those goals. I am most proud of playing a small part in these victories.
AALM: What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Baker-Barnes: Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and sports. I started running a few years ago and play ten- nis as a hobby. My dad is responsible for me being a sports fanatic, he started taking me to
At a Glance
Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart &
2139 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard West Palm Beach, FL 33409
(561) 686-6300 www.searcylaw.com
Juris Doctor, Florida State University, 2000
Shipley P.A.
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Florida State University, 1996
Select Awards
Woman in the Law in Personal Injury Litigation, Best Lawyers Magazine, 2017
Top Ten Black Female Attorney, Black Enterprise Magazine, 2016
Top 20 Woman in Law, Daily Business Review South Florida, 2014
Famous Female First, F. Malcolm Cunningham, Sr. Bar Association, 2016
Nation’s Best Advocates: 40 Under 40, National Bar Association and IMPACT, 2011
South Florida Woman Extraordinaire, Business Leader Media, 2011 Presidential Award, National Bar
Association, 2007
One of Palm Beach’s 10 Successful &
In uential Black Professionals, Palm Beach Journal, 2007
Tampa Bay Buccaneers games when I was a year old! We had season tickets and he was fa- mous locally for being that dad that brought his baby daughter to the games. I still love at- tending sporting events and supporting my favorite teams, the Florida State Seminoles, Miami Heat and Tampa Bay Buccaneers!
Vol. 7 No. 2 Attorney at Law Magazine® South Florida | 11
Capehart Photography