Shakia Smith

I would say my mentors and my support system. Some people have a story of people doubting them, but I have never experienced that. I've always had teachers and old bosses and friends who have always uplifted me, so I have a crazy idea that I can literally do anything. It's because of all the people who have supported me along the way that I've been able to achieve what I have.

Honestly, to just be myself. In the law field, it seems like everything is cut and dry - this is how we act at court, this is how we dress, this is what we do. But being myself in my field makes me able to do the work better, because I don't come across as a robot to my clients. They know I'm human too, so it gives me a better relationship with them, which allows me to better do my job. They know I'm their attorney, but I'm also a normal person as well.

That they belong here. Because this is primarily a male-led industry, I want young women to know that they belong here, you are enough, and you have what it takes. We are definitely underestimated in this field, but don't let that stop you. You have every right to be here and succeed.

One of the biggest challenges I face is being confident. I deal with this on a daily basis, and from what I've been told, it will never go away. Sometimes I have moments where it's like, am I doing this right? Am I doing enough? Did I do enough? Do I know enough to be doing this? Especially since I started my firm 2 years out and I had no prior experience practicing criminal defense. There's a lot of imposter syndrome - the daily insecurities of am I doing enough, am I doing it right? As far as opportunities, I think having a law degree makes us very employable. At any time, if I want, I can choose a different area of law. If something's not working, I can pivot. Even with my firm, if I don't want my firm anymore, I can try something else. I feel like at any time, I can be like, oh, I don't want to do this anymore, I want to try that, and I'm able to.

I would say kindness would be one. I do criminal defense, so I am dealing with people at sometimes the worst day of their lives, so still treating them with kindness, despite the charges, despite the allegations, and honestly, despite how I'm treated by them, because they're frustrated. I would also say leadership, because it's not many people around me doing what we're doing, people of color at that, having our own firm. Us having our own firm right now is kind of showing others that they can do it too, especially how we started our firm so soon out of both of us graduating from law school. And I would say discipline. I would say that for my home and for my work, because in order to get through this day-to-day, we have to have a lot of discipline to make our schedules work. Like I said, any day our lives could be in an uproar.