Page 21 - Palm Beach Vol 7 No 2
P. 21

AALM: What do you  nd rewarding about being an attorney? What do you  nd challenging about your practice? How do you overcome those challenges?
Kreusler-Walsh: It is rewarding to know you are helping people through di cult times and making an intimidating process more understandable.  ere are several challenging aspects to my practice. One of the biggest is vetting potential cases be- fore we choose to get involved. We will not take a case we do not believe we can win.  at determination is not easy because we usually have limited information and time to assess. It can be di cult to balance this philosophy with the reality of overhead and a paying client. We overcome these challenges with careful review of potential cases.
AALM: What was the beginning of your career like? How has it evolved over the years?
Kreusler-Walsh:  e beginning of my career was di cult. I had clerked for a law  rm for two years, expecting to be o ered a job a er graduation. When I inquired, I was told they had already hired a woman and did not want another. I then applied at the Fourth District Court of Appeal as a sta  attorney.
At the time, I was newly married and liv- ing in New Orleans with my husband who was still in law school. I got a call one day from the chief judge o ering me a job. He told me take it now, or it may not be there later. I did and commuted to New Orleans every other weekend, using most of my salary.
After two years of clerking, Larry Klein offered me a part-time job. I was pregnant with our first child and decid- ed that might work. When I reported for work, he informed me he had no office. I should plant myself in the library at the Fourth District and do my work for him from there. I did that for months, then moved to another law firm’s conference room in our building. Finally, Larry de- cided to move the copier and let me have a desk in his space. He and I practiced together until he went on the appellate bench in 1993.
I was a sole practitioner for a few years with only my assistant, Barbara Lee, to help. She was everything – the reception- ist, secretary, bookkeeper – crammed into a tiny space surrounded by  le cabinets. As my practice grew, so did our space. I hired several associates over the years and
eventually hired my present partners. Life is good.
AALM: Tell us the funniest story you have from your practice.
Kreusler-Walsh: I was giving an oral argument at the Fourth District shortly af- ter giving birth to my third child. I vividly remember what I was wearing. As I exited the courtroom, someone stopped me and said there was something all down the back of my blouse. Turns out my baby had vomited as I was holding her on my shoul- der, waiting for the caretaker to arrive. Not funny then, but funny now.
AALM: Do you  nd that as a woman you face any challenges that men don’t?
Kreusler-Walsh: Yes, particularly when it comes to child care. Also, early on in my career, it was di cult to get men to take me seriously. At court, I was o en mistaken for the court reporter.
AALM: Tell us something about yourself that people would be surprised to learn.
Kreusler-Walsh: I am very shy.
AALM: How are you involved in the le- gal community and the local community?
Kreusler-Walsh: My parents instilled the importance of giving back to our com- munity at an early age. So I have always tried to be involved in both the legal and local community. Over the years, I have served on many bar and rules commit- tees. I have also served on many nonpro t boards. With each experience, I have learned something new and met people who have impacted my life.
AALM: What do you enjoy doing out- side of work? Hobbies? Sports?
Kreusler-Walsh: Outside of work, I en- joy spending time with my family. I have a wonderful husband, three children, and two grandchildren, all of whom I adore. I have  ve siblings, their spouses and children, and eight in-law siblings, their spouses and children. It takes a village.
AALM: What traits do you think make an attorney exceptional? What’s the di er- ence between a good attorney and an out- standing one?
Kreusler-Walsh: Years ago, a very wise man, Sid Stubbs, told me to always trust my gut. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.  at mantra applies to every- thing I do. To be exceptional, an attorney must be willing to think outside the box, go the extra mile, and care. In my opinion, the di erence between a good attorney and an exceptional one is preparation and commitment.
AT A GLANCE
Kreusler-Walsh Vargas & Sera n P.A.
501 S. Flagler Drive, Suite 503 West Palm Beach, FL 33401 (561) 659-5455 www.kwvsappeals.com
Education
Juris Doctor, Loyola University New Orleans School of Law, 1978
Bachelor of Arts in English, University of Florida, 1975
Awards
Monsignor Jeremiah P. O’Mahoney Award, Guild of Catholic Lawyers of the Diocese of Palm Beach
Women in Leadership Award for the Private Sector, The Executive Women of the Palm Beaches
One of the Top 13 Appellate Lawyers in Florida, Chambers USA
Lawyer of the Year in Appellate Practice in West Palm Beach, Best Lawyers in America
Fellow, American Academy of Appellate Attorneys
Top 50 Women Attorneys in Florida, Super Lawyers
Legal Elite Hall of Fame, Florida Trend American Law Institute
Hobbies
Reading Cycling Needlepoint Walking
Gina Fontana Photography


































































































   19   20   21   22   23