This is dedicated to all the women lawyers who bravely came before us, and to future generations of women lawyers who will undoubtedly come after us; and
To all the women who dreamed of making a difference in the world by working on important cases and having an active role in significant trials; and
To all the women who were constantly told “no” when they sought to have more active roles in these types of cases, at trial, or in their firms; and
To all the women who did not believe in themselves because they were told they were not good enough; and
To all the women who know that given the right funding, support, and experience, women trial lawyers obtain record-setting verdicts and settlements; and
To all the women who seek a sisterhood with other like-minded women for camaraderie, advice, assistance, mentorship, guidance and motivation; and
To all the young, fearless girls throughout the country who will grow up knowing and understanding that they have an important place in the law and in the courtroom; and
To all our male counterparts, including our trial heroes and the titans in this industry, who believe in us and share our commitment to ensure that women succeed and flourish at trial and in the legal profession.
Athea Lawyers is here because of all of you.
This has been an idea that has been brewing inside me for a long time. Over the last few years, I have attended and spoken at numerous women conferences, and noticed that whenever a group of motivated and committed women get together, something magical happens. At these conferences, I also heard stories from too many talented women lawyers who have struggled to find their places in the courtroom or in their firms, and often felt powerless to do anything to improve their plight. Sometimes they left and started their own firms, and then reported feeling alone and adrift.
And then something even more disturbing began to happen: women started leaving the practice of law in droves. Studies have shown that every industry does better when women play an active role. Women make the legal profession better. We bring that spark of magic into every case – and into the courtroom. Without us, many important cases would never have been brought or won.
So I, and others like me, stood back, watching and waiting for meaningful change – until finally, we decided to do something about it. With Athea Lawyers, we have harnessed together for the first time the boundless legal talents, creativity and energy of some of the most successful trial lawyers in the country into one powerhouse firm with a common important goal: to ensure that women trial lawyers succeed. I am so proud to be working alongside these bad-ass women! Their verdicts and success records speak volumes about the power of women in the courtroom and in the legal profession.
We chose Athea Lawyers as the name of our firm because Athea was a bad-ass goddess. Called the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, law and justice, and strategic warfare, Athea supported those fighting for a just cause and those who used cunning and intelligence rather than brute strength.
Starting a law firm like this in the middle of a pandemic and when the country is under quarantine orders to shelter/work at home was certainly not our plan. But then I read an interesting story about Athea: Zeus held a contest between Poseidon and Athea for control over Athens. Poseidon, exhibiting power and strength, smashed his trident against a rock to produce a spring of water. Athea, on the other hand, won the contest by planting an olive branch which bore olives and thrived in even the harshest of environments. The olive branch became a symbol for perseverance, growth, victory, and peace. Our logo bears this olive branch, with six olives symbolizing each of our founding partners. We will always remember that we planted this particular olive branch during these chaotic times.
This pandemic has forever changed the way we and all lawyers will practice law. Over the past few weeks and months, lawyers and law firms have had to adapt to changing circumstances. It has become more important than ever to ensure that lawyers can work remotely from anywhere, by having systems in place to not miss a beat, and using technology to conduct face-to-face meetings and depositions. From this chaos, we all will emerge as stronger and better lawyers.
Athea Lawyers has been formed based on these principles: using cutting-edge technology, we offer so much more than traditional legal services. We look beyond the brick and mortar walls of traditional law firms to work with the best lawyers in cases. We have assembled an advisory board and have alliances with numerous entities to ensure that every need of our clients and other attorneys are met in creative and effective ways.
During our “soft launch” in the midst of the pandemic, we recently decided to change the name of our firm to “Athea Trial Lawyers” as a better description of who we are. “Athea” not only is the shortened version for the goddess, but also has a modern urban meaning: a spunky wild imaginative girl who loves to kick butt. According to one definition: “If you ever find an Athea, never let her go, because she is the most amazing person you will meet.” All women have the potential to be like Athea – and we are here to help you find that spirit and realize your potential.
We look forward to working with our clients and all who fight for a just cause. Please continue to stop by our site and spend some time “spilling the tea” with us. We would love to hear from you about your thoughts, your lives, your experiences, and yes, even your cases. This is a place for us to share photos, videos, news, and great stories. It’s not just for women, but I will close this with a thought for all women:
“Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women, who have her back.”
Athea Lawyers is your tribe, and we will always have your back.
Deborah Chang
