By Suzanne Swaner
 Change, it seems, truly is inevitable, isn't it? By way of introduction, I am excited and honored to be the new Courtroom Diva. Let me start by thanking my fellow Divas for their posts. I read and learned from all of them, especially early on where each of them defined "diva" and put this new role into perspective for me. I'd also like to thank the Divas for the invitation to join their ranks in the world of social networking. I hope to provide posts that are engaging, entertaining, insightful and true to the Courtroom Diva spirit, with a Texas spin.
A little about me. I am a native Minnesotan, turned Texan, by way of four years in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Dallas is home, as I have been here an unbelievable 18 years. ("Y'all" is part of my vocabulary, but "fixin" is not.) My husband and I have three energetic sons (ages 8, 5 and 2) who keep us busy to say the least! Every day an epic battle is re-enacted somewhere in our house, usually with minimal casualties. In addition to my roles outside of the office, I have practiced law for nearly 15 years and have worked alongside some of the best and most supportive attorneys in my field. This past year was one of professional change for me, as five of my partners from my former firm and I opened the doors to this firm's new Dallas office on February 1, 2011. We did so amidst record-breaking snowfall in the Dallas area that resulted in a "snow day" our first day in business. We survived those first cold and icy days, and a really really really hot summer, and look forward to toasting our one year anniversary with the firm in a couple months. read more
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By Andrea Moody
 "Each of us has that right, that possibility, to invent ourselves daily. If a person does not invent herself, she will be invented. So to be bodacious enough to invent ourselves is wise." - Maya Angelou
Never more true are esteemed author and poet, Maya Angelou's words of wisdom than they are today in our competitive world. Any successful diva will tell you that success is a continuum and a real diva is able to honestly and critically look at herself, take inventory, and fine tune those details which are necessary to reinvent herself and her formula for success. A real diva is not a stereotype or created by someone else. Instead, she boldly invents and reinvents herself through her series of unique experiences and life lessons. read more
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The legal profession, for better or worse, is a profession based on credentials. Mine are located on a link to this blog if you are interested. I will, however, summarize briefly the street creds that correspond with my day job. I am the managing partner of the Richmond, Virginia office of the national trial firm Bowman and Brooke LLP. My office is, by design, and not by accident, the most diverse large law firm office in the city of Richmond. We specialize in defending corporations in courtrooms all over the country. I have spent weeks and months at a time trying cases in jurisdictions inside and outside of Virginia. My office is a source of challenge, experimentation, learning and great pride as I have the honor of leading, cajoling, and prodding good and honorable people in a profession that I love and a business in which I have invested my money, my talent and my heart. read more
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I'm a partner in a law firm and a mother of four - almost 7, 5, 3 and 8 weeks. When I originally considered doing this blog with colleagues, I thought "no" for two reasons. First, I didn't think I could squeeze any more time out of the day. And second, I haven't transitioned to the online world. Don't get me wrong, I know how to use Google and my blackberry is a permanent appendage, but I don't Facebook and I'm not on LinkedIn . . . again, I didn't think I had time. More importantly, I want to set the right example for my kids. Some people seem to disclose their most private thoughts on public internet sites. I want my kids to know there are boundaries and use discretion about what a person may want to "post" to the world. Call me old fashioned, but what's wrong with a private journal made of paper that someone writes in with a pen? read more
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When I was offered the opportunity to be a diva, I was not sure I could carry the title. I pictured divas as high fashion and high maintenance, and I am neither. I am definitely not a fashionista, or even fashionable. I don’t really care about fitting in. I like to stand out, to go where others don’t. I always have. This characteristic has served me well in my legal career – I follow the paths that others don’t and, in doing so, I often stumble onto solutions that others have overlooked or ignored. read more
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I had always thought of a diva as someone who was selfish, pampered, and difficult. With that in mind, I must admit that the idea of being branded a "diva", whether a legal diva or some other type, did not completely square with my own self-image. Please allow me to share some of my personal background. I am the second of seven children. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to have a direct influence on my siblings by helping in their rearing while my parents worked. In that role, I was often faced with making decisions that necessarily impacted my five younger siblings, all of whom looked up to me. As a result, I learned at a young age to take selfless, logical, and practical approaches to problem solving to help secure the best results for all involved. But the most important part of this experience was the fact that I learned to roll up my sleeves and to take a hands-on approach with what came next in our daily adventures. As you might imagine, this background did not contribute to the makings of a selfish, pampered, and difficult person - a.k.a. my definition of a diva. Nevertheless, I remained open to the idea of being branded a diva and helping to author this blog. But, I decided before committing to this blog that I would take some time to do some self-reflection to determine, if in fact, I was indeed diva material. This self-reflection necessarily took me on a journey of where I have been, where I am at, and where I intend to go. read more
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