Mom Owned Law Firm Interview with Theresa Skaine
The MyShingle profile series featuring Mom-Owned Law Firms continues. Join us this week as we celebrate more mom lawyers who have chosen to own, not loan their talent. Today, we’ll hear from Theresa Skaine, owner of Skaine & Associates, a Sarasota Springs, New York law firm handling corporate, not-for profit and commercial real estate matters.
Money Quote – I have a better relationship with my clients [as a result of starting my own firm].
What is your name? Theresa Skaine
Law School attended and year of graduation. Boston University 1993
Name, location(s) and URL of Law Firm. Skaine & Associates, Saratoga Springs www.skaineassociates.com
How long has your firm been in operation? 3 years
Summarize your work experience, if any, prior to opening your firm. I’ve had 22 years with small/mid size firm in Capital District NYS, and as a managing partner 3 years
Why did you decide to start your own law firm? A desire to get away from formulaic comp structure and a direction I wasn’t supportive of. Also started another business and wanted flexibility to do both.
What practice areas does your firm concentrate on? Corporate, not for profit and commercial real estate
How large is your firm? Just me
Do you practice full time or part time? Full time
How many children do you have and what ages are they? 19 yo son and 17 yo daughter
Has becoming a mom influenced your decision to start or continue to operate your own law firm? If so, how? Partially – having them in the later years of high school made me want to spend time with them before leaving for college
What is your marital status? Recently separated
If you are married, what role has your spouse played with respect to your practice and mutual family obligations and conversely, what impact has owning your firm had on your marriage and role as a mom? Husband shouldered many family obligations which made starting my firm easier. Starting the firm also provided good opportunities to talk with my kids about choices for careers, finances and more
What are the pros and cons of law firm ownership as a mom with respect to attaining work-life balance? Pros – flexibility and ability to “train” clients that responses will come in my way and my timeframe.
Cons – I can’t delegate many aspects of ownership to anyone else which makes me feel less productive and wanting to work more hours – cuts into family time
What are the pros and cons of law firm ownership from a professional standpoint? Pros – I have a better relationship with my clients
Cons – I have not been considered by some clients and also some boards because of my smaller size
How open are you with colleagues and clients about your family? Do you tell them about your kids? Do you ever use child-related activities as an excuse for changing your schedule, and if so, are you open in sharing those reasons? Fairly open. I don’t often change schedules but do use known kid activities to schedule in the first place.
What was your worst or funniest child-related scheduling mishap? Not really a mishap, but not wanting to say no to “urgent” phone calls, I have taken several on the sidelines of my daughter’s lacrosse games and have failed at times to hit mute before cheering a goal or a good play. Usually ends the call more quickly however!
As a mother who owns a law firm, have you ever encountered discrimination from colleagues or judges or been taken less seriously or treated with less respect? How did you respond? No, but I started the firm later in life
Would you recommend to other women lawyers who have children to consider starting a law firm – and what advice would you give them? Yes, but I would advise a firm of more than just one and mostly women. We understand each other, especially as moms.
If you can, share the name of (or if possible recipe for) one of your family’s most reliable, easy go-to recipes: Goulash!!
Theresa Skaine is owner of Skaine & Associates, LLC.
See more Mom Owned Law Profiles.