Power Women 2021: Katherine Blackmon Carroll
Attorney, Law Offices of Katherine E. Blackmon
What’s your secret to success?
Hard work, high standards for my practice, and a genuine love for my clients.
What attracted you to your career?
I am a problem-solver and want to help people. Family law seemed to be a career that incorporated both my brain and my heart. This has proven to be true.
How did you get started in your field?
I began my law career as a solo practitioner in a one-room office. I asked God to send me clients in the area of law where I was most needed, and my first custody case walked through the door. Almost 25 years later, my office has expanded, and God is still sending me clients.
What do you love best about what you do?
I have purposefully built a trauma-informed practice with an emphasis on helping clients navigate difficult times. Mental health can be impacted so negatively by the trauma of a divorce, especially if domestic violence, addiction, and/or personality disorders are involved. I love being able to get to know my clients and their situations and offer them the help that is tailored to their specific needs.
What advice would you give to a young woman
starting her career?
Work hard. Maintain a high ethical standard. Advocate for yourself. Surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you. Write thank you notes. Keep a good pair of heels and a comfy pair of flats under your desk.
How did your education prepare you for your career?
My undergraduate degree in journalism has had a massive impact on my legal skills. I had an incredible writing teacher and I can still hear her voice in my ear, editing as I draft pleadings.
Which of your accomplishments are you most proud?
I know she is not an “accomplishment,” but I am so very proud of my daughter, Lydia Elliott. She is an incredible musician and I like to think that I’ve encouraged and supported her goals.
How do you maintain a work/life balance?
For almost 20 years, I was terrible at maintaining a healthy work/life balance. I married my husband, Jamie, in 2015 and he has helped me learn how to enjoy a weekend and take a vacation. I’m still pretty terrible at it, and check my email entirely too much, but Jamie is an amazing support and has helped me to live a much more balanced life.
Do you have a favorite quote
I have several. I tend to gravitate toward these two: “A life lived in fear is a life half lived.” – Baz Luhrmann and “… accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes ahead with the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child.” – Veronica A. Shoffstall
READ ALSO: Faces of Arkansas: Face of Family Law, Katherine Blackmon Carroll
