For Random Profiles, we randomly pick one of our 80,000-plus attorneys, call them, and do a Q&A. We’ve found that every Texas lawyer has an interesting story. Will yours be next?

Family: I have one daughter, Amber, who plans to pursue meteorology at OU in the Fall.

Areas of practice: Entertainment Law, Construction Law, Family Law, and Consumer Law.

Education: Texas A&M, Commerce – BA Journalism; Texas Wesleyan University School of Law – JD.

Memorable vacation: My daughter was a contestant on Kids Jeopardy and we spent a fabulous week in Beverly Hills, CA.

Favorite saying/quote: If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re absolutely right.

Little known fact: I worked full-time and attended law school at night and some weekends I supplemented my income as a wedding photographer.

The best piece of advice ever given to you and by whom: I was told “You can do anything you set your mind to do,” by my mom, my grandma, my coaches, and my teachers…it takes a village!

If you weren’t an attorney, what profession do you think you would be in? Perish the thought! Actually, I would probably still have a job dealing with regulations. Perhaps I’d be the Commissioner of the NFL or a compliance officer for an athletic conference.

Bet you didn’t know: I was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court last year in May on the same day that Justice Sotomayor was confirmed. I had the pleasure of hearing the news from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, my favorite!

Community Involvement: I love young people and I find myself most drawn to causes that impact their lives. I have been a volunteer basketball coach for the YMCA, raised money for the Boys and Girls Club and have been moved to tears in the Habit for Humanity experience. Most recently I have decided to volunteer as a judge with a Teen Court program.

Mentors/heroes: My mother has been my hero. Without a scholar’s background or any exposure to the legal community, she has managed to impart the utmost wisdom and sense of pride and responsibility to her children. It is because of her example, encouragement, and discipline early in my life that I developed the ability to work through tough situations with persistence.

Current Project: Construction contracts for a $2 billion Terminal Development Program at one of the world’s largest airports.

Pet peeve: I truly get annoyed with negative people. I believe in empowerment and positive attitudes. When I meet people who never have good things to say about anything, I distance myself from them.

Favorite TV program: Law and Order (all of them) and most recently The Good Wife and Men of a Certain Age.

Talents (besides law): Photography. I still shoot film (call me old fashioned) and I use a medium format camera.

If I had more time, I would: Finish my book. I have the framework developed, but at the end of my very long days, I go to sleep instead of writing. 

What most people don’t know about me: I am unreasonably empathetic. I cannot watch shows like American Idol and when I watch any sort of television interview, I switch channels the moment I notice the person is stumbling or nervous.

If you could be anyone else for a day, who would it be? Right now, probably Nancy Pelosi. I like the challenge of having a job to do and needing a team to get it done. Rally the troops, motivate the team, put some players on the bench, we have a game to win!

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing attorneys today? The economy is an obvious answer because we all need to work, but I think on a more personal note, I see fewer and fewer attorneys speaking passionately about the work they do. If we don’t love it, we shouldn’t do it.

LaDonna Key works at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

You can also view LaDonna’s TexasBar.com profile.

Prizes

It’s not every day that you’re randomly picked from among 80,000 peers. To commemorate, randomly-profiled attorneys receive a TexasBar.com t-shirt and a law firm link (a $50 value).

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Opinions and statements expressed in these profiles are those of their subjects – not the State Bar of Texas.