Her Story
About Michelle
Michelle Greer serves as a Judge on the Orphans Court, synonymous with probate court, where she presides over matters related to estates and trusts. She has spent over 30 years in the legal profession, beginning as a paralegal for more than 15 years while raising her family and homeschooling her son, who is an in utero stroke survivor. After becoming a young widow, she pursued her undergraduate and law degrees over 11 years, practiced family law and civil litigation, and later shifted her focus to estates and trusts based on her personal experiences. Greer hung her own shingle after working in partnership and now brings a profound sense of empathy to the bench, where she has served as an appointed and then elected official for about 2 years. She is the first woman of color to sit on that bench in 250 years. Beyond her judicial role, Greer is a commissioner with the Women's Commission in her county and chairs the Domestic Violence Committee. She extends her commitment to servant leadership through community advocacy, offering complimentary half-day and full-day seminars on estates and trusts as well as her Living Legacy framework, which addresses both legal preparation and the emotional aspects of loss and caregiving.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Michelle
01What do you attribute your success to?
I had super incredible women in my life. Super, super incredible mentors, that have poured into me in every area of my life, that continue to pour into me, and Certainly God. God first and foremost. Yeah, just a tremendous family, a village, a community of love and support. And the bittersweet experiences along the way.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
It's never too late to follow your heart. Sometimes your dreams may seem delayed because your heart is telling you that now I need to focus on this. But focusing on this doesn't mean that you aren't still building and pouring into that that may occur tomorrow. Trust your gut, believe in yourself, know that you are more than capable of showing up in full capacity in any and everything that you desire to do, and never shrink in a room. It's really the woman that's showing up. It's the authentic you. It's not the titles.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity. Definitely empathy. I have two golden rules that I have strived to live by: you always strive to treat other people the way that you would like to be treated. And the second is that you never build yourself up by putting another person down. I do believe in continuing education, whether it's required of me or not. I'm always looking for teachable moments, ways of consistently showing up with the excellence that those who I have been trusted to serve deserve to receive from me.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.