For Random Profiles, we randomly pick one of our 87,000-plus attorneys and do a Q&A. We’ve found that every Texas lawyer has an interesting story. Will yours be next?
Best thing about being a lawyer: The ever-taxing test of my cognitive abilities!
Most important career lesson: Read everything before signing … seriously … in its entirety!
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing attorneys today? The shrinking practice of law coupled with the growing list of attorneys.
Favorite composers: John Williams and Danny Elfman, every movie they score is the better for it!
Family: Married for 8 years to Dereck Mims; son Kevin D. Gardner, 19, who is a sophomore at University of North Texas; 3 step-children, Halee, Aireyuna, and Dereck.
Areas of practice: Primarily family law since licensure in Nov. 2007.
Education: (BS) Texas Christian University, 2002; (JD) Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, 2007.
Bet you didn’t know: That I love movies more than almost anything! I watch all different types, but my favorites are the Usual Suspects, Star Wars: the Empire Strikes Back, a Nightmare Before Christmas, and Good Will Hunting.
Another little known fact: I was a legal assistant for 4 years prior to and during law school. Before that I was a store bookkeeper, an accounting manager, and a payroll and benefits coordinator.
Bad habit: Allowing my cases to stress me out to the point of not sleeping.
Mentors/heroes: My mentors in the legal field have been Bobby J. Mann of Meridian, Texas, and Eric D. Beal of Southlake, Texas. Bobby helped me through every step of law school, whether it was questions about legal theory or just some moral support. I owe a lot of my legal background to him. I have been with Eric almost since the beginning of my licensed legal career, and his expertise in the field of litigation, his immense understanding of the practice of law, and his friendship have created a nurturing and joyous environment for me.
Secret for staying young: Family, family, family. Every week and weekend is filled with dinner parties, afternoons in the park, movie nights, game nights, coffee house get-togethers, and countless trips to the bookstore for new adventures.
Memorable vacation: San Juan and Seattle.
My favorite weekend retreats are: My bed.
If I had more time, I would: Unfortunately, probably just work more.
What most people don’t know about me: I love the DC Universe (sshhhhh)
The part of my job I do best is: (written by Eric Beal) Everything! Preparation with a great attention to detail, dealing with clients, juggling all of the different demands of running an office and handling dozens of clients.
If you could be anyone else for a day, who would it be? Barack Obama!
When you are not practicing law, what do you like to do? Watch movies!
Favorite saying/quote: Charles Dickens, in Bleak House, of the Court of Chancery: “[it] gives to monied might the means abundantly of wearying out the right, which so exhausts finances, patience, courage, hope, so overthrows the brain and breaks the heart, that there is not an honourable man among its practitioners who would not give the warning “Suffer any wrong that can be done you rather than come here!”
How do you think the practice will change in the next 15 years? Technology will continue to streamline the practice, and hopefully a balancing of rights will come back into vogue.
Constance is a senior associate with the Beal Law Firm.
You can also view Constance’s TexasBar.com profile.
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