Updates
Matt Duchamp and Jasmine M. Harding presented to a packed house at the Select Physical Therapy Safety & Workers’ Compensation CEU Seminar in Houston on February 5. They provided valuable insight on the investigation and evaluation of injury claims in Texas. Doyle & Seelbach PLLC is proud to work with the wonderful folks at Select Medical to bring helpful, relevant content to Texas claims professionals.
This blog post was originally published on The Sisters in Law website. The Sisters in Law's mission is to connect, encourage, and empower minority women in the law by creating a platform to share open reflections and spark conversations about the unique experiences we face in a non-diverse profession. For more information, visit https://www.thesistersinlaw.com
My teeth were clenched tight and my feet began to wag at an increased speed while reviewing my deposition outline and the Texas’ rules furiously the night before my deposition on one of my first big cases. This task was considered important because my supervising partner had taken all of the previous depositions for this case and she usually would take them for a case of this size. I was extremely nervous but I wanted to make sure I was properly prepared for any possible scenario that could occur. After reviewing my deposition materials, I laid out my neatly ironed black business outfit, black pumps, black leather briefcase and all of my exhibits ready to go first thing in the morning. When the morning finally came, I even said a little prayer in the car on the way to the deposition. My nerves had officially turned into excitement and I was ready to “take on the world”—or the deponent for that matter.
However, when I stepped into that deposition room, opposing counsel, who I had met many times at other depositions, asked if I was the court reporter. From the time I stepped off of the elevator to the time I made it to the conference room to sit and open my laptop for the deposition, I was mistaken for a court reporter, a videographer and I was even asked by someone for coffee. I smirked silently under my breath and thought to myself that I did a lot of preparing and thinking of various possible scenarios but I did not think of a scenario in which the deponent or opposing counsel would ask me (the attorney) when the attorney would be arriving. Though a little taken aback, I kept my head up and I proceeded with the deposition.
As I proceeded, as expected by many young lawyers but especially female lawyers, opposing counsel attempted to assert absurd objections, being extremely aggressive—all while calling me sweetheart. Because I was prepared, this did not faze me. I knew the rules backwards and forwards, I knew the chronology of events for the case and I knew the answer to every question before I even asked it. When opposing counsel realized that this sweetheart, court reporter was not backing down, he changed his tone. By the end of the deposition, opposing counsel was silent.
I share this story, not to discourage young minority females, but to encourage them. Regardless of how you are treated, what name you are called or if you are underestimated, do not allow anyone or anything to ruin your performance or professionalism. I assure you that no one might have known that I was an attorney when I walked into the deposition, but they all knew when I walked out. If you are “on point” and prepared, then people respect that—whether that is at a deposition, a hearing or otherwise. To this day, I don’t know if opposing counsel made an honest mistake as an aggressive lawyer or if he was trying to take advantage and be rude to a “baby lawyer”. Regardless of his intentions, there will be situations you encounter that require you to keep your head up and stay on point.
-Jasmine
Over the holidays I took some time off to recharge my batteries. Building a snowman with my daughters in New Mexico was a nice break from taking depositions and writing briefs. There is something about sitting with family and friends next to a fireplace with your favorite beverage in hand that is good for the soul.
As I enjoyed the refreshing mountain air and did my best to avoid checking emails, I reflected on the past. In early 2015, Trek Doyle and I launched with just one client and one case. What we lacked in business, we made up for in determination and grit. Our goal was simple: do great work for great clients. The challenge was getting new clients. It took time and it wasn’t easy. But, it was never meant to be easy. Hard work is what gets results.
Thanks to folks like you, we’ve prospered. What started as a team of two has grown to six attorneys and four paralegals. Our client base is growing like wildfire and we are proud to represent some of the top companies in Texas. Our law practice has expanded to include personal injury defense, labor & employment, real estate, construction, and business disputes. We are doing great work for great clients. And, we are just getting started!
As we enter 2020 together, remember it is time to set new goals, dust off your gym equipment and focus on the things that matter most. Well, two out of three ain’t bad.
Best regards,
Karl Seelbach
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Doyle & Seelbach PLLC
What is something most people don’t know about you?
Between college and law school, I spent a year working in Mexico at a bird hunting lodge and teaching English in Spain. All of this was after a study abroad semester in Argentina. If I hadn’t gone to law school, I like to think that I would still be wandering the world somewhere.
Our firm is a proud sponsor of the upcoming 2020 Unmasked Gala benefiting Wonders & Worries, a nonprofit that provides free professional support to children with parents suffering from a serious and often terminal illness. Last year, D&S also sponsored the gala and during the live auction, Trek and Kristen became the proud owners of “Luna,” a bernedoodle puppy and now renowned destroyer of furniture. It was a fun event and W&W raised over $670,000. We are hoping to raise a lot of funds again this year for this great organization.
Heroes Night Out is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting U.S. service members, veterans, first responders and their family members. D&S is a proud sponsor of their annual Silver Shells shootout which is scheduled this year for February 7, 2020. Last year’s team is pictured below. We won’t disclose the score cards, but suffice to say we had a lot of fun and no one was injured.
Last year, D&S sponsored two silent auctions for Kids‘ Chance of Texas. The auction items included a YETI cooler filled with local treats from Deep Eddy, Austin Nutz and others. Kids‘ Chance provides scholarships for students who had a parent seriously injured or killed by a workplace accident. Karl Seelbach currently serves on the Fundraising Committee for Kids‘ Chance of Texas.
Last year, D&S sponsored a Special Olympics silent auction hosted by a firm client. We always welcome the opportunity to support our clients and friends in their support of charitable organizations.
