Katie Meek, Kids' Voice of Indiana
Our June Member of the Month is Katie Meek. Katie works at Kids’ Voice as the Supervising Custody Attorney. Katie is also a panel speaker in our July 16 CLE. Katie grew up in Michigan and has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science.
What is your career background?
I was a family law attorney in Portland, Maine. When I had children, I decided to take a career break and stay home with them for approximately 4 years. My career break lined up with my family's decision to move to Indiana. When I returned to work, I did family law and appeals. Doing pro bono work has always been a big part of my career, and I've always been a volunteer Guardian ad Litem (GAL), so when a job opportunity came up at Kids' Voice, I jumped at the opportunity.
What do you find most rewarding about your job?
I enjoy advocating for and providing a voice for the voiceless. At Kids’ Voice, we seek to amplify the voices of children. In family law litigation, the parties sometimes have their own motivations. I enjoy being the only party to the action who is speaking solely in the best interests of the children. Guardians ad Litem conduct an investigation which involves gathering evidence from the parties, the children, and third parties like doctors and schools. This provides the Court with a more complete picture about what is happening with the children to allow the Court to make a better-informed judgment about the issues involving children.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with my family. My kids are very active in athletics. I really enjoy hiking, reading, and doing puzzles of all kinds (sodoku, crossword, or actual jigsaw puzzles).
Do you have any exciting summer plans?
I'm going on a hiking trip on the Pacific Crest Trail with my 70-year-old mother. This will be her first backpacking trip and my second. My first backpacking trip was during college in Moab, Utah.
If you weren't a lawyer, what would you do?
I would do national park trail maintenance and preservation. I have an interest in preserving the environment for generations to come.
What is a fun fact about you?
I love going to see live music. After college I worked at a records store selling tickets, so I could go see concerts for free. At one of those concerts, I got to get on stage with David Byrne from the Talking Heads and play scrabble with the letters from the marquee. David Bryne then used the words I created in his songs that night.
As a first-year member of WLD, what do you most hope to get out of the group?
Friendship and mentorship. My goal is to establish more professional friendships because I think it’s important to have a network of people you can lean on even if they don’t practice in the same area of law as you. As lawyers, we are always dealing with other people’s problems and that can be emotionally and mentally draining, so it’s important to have a network of people who understand what you’re going through.
As a working mother and lawyer, do you have any advice to offer other lawyers who are working mothers?
Be sure to reserve your family time. I think it's easy to let work overtake you. Save time for just being at home and being with your kids. They grow up in the blink of an eye.
Do you have any advice for young lawyers?
Your reputation is everything, and it stays with you. Always conduct yourself with that in mind. It takes people 5 minutes to make a first impression of you and a long time to erase. Treat other attorneys the way you would want to be treated. Always be prepared-that is the number one tool you can have in your toolbox. You may not have as much experience, charisma, or skill as some of the other attorneys, but preparation goes a long way. It is also important to find healthy ways to take care of yourself and enjoy life outside of work. Stick with it; it does get better.
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