Honoring Local Presidents

 

Elizabeth Turner

 

What’s a typical day of work like for you?

It’s crazy most of the time. It can vary from going to court, meeting with current clients, having initial meetings with new clients, conferencing with other attorneys or prosecutors or reviewing documents. On top of that, I also manage the staff, offices and other attorneys and handle all of my own marketing. Every day is different and hard to predict at times!

 

What do you love most about your field and what you do?

I love helping people. That’s the reason I went to law school in the first place, and it’s the most rewarding part of being an attorney. We’ve been put in a position where we have the ability and capability and opportunity to do so much and to help people in their most extreme time of need. I try every day to live up to that ideal.

 

What was your job before this one?

I was a prosecutor in Virginia before moving back to Missouri, where I grew up. But right before I went to law school, I was working at a government contractor doing ISO certification, human resources and purchasing for the government contracts. It was a good job, and I loved it, but it wasn’t rewarding in the way I knew being an attorney would be. When I first moved back to Missouri and was studying for the Missouri bar, I was working midnights dispatching in Carl Junction. I loved that job and the people I worked with and the people of Carl Junction.

 

In your opinion, what does it take to be an excellent leader?

I believe to be an excellent leader, you should be able to see the potential in people and do everything you can to grow that potential. I tell my people all the time we will find their strengths and weaknesses and we will put them in a position to flourish where they are strong. Really getting to know people and care about them and then fight for them…that makes an excellent leader.

 

What do you do to support the community?

I feel very strongly about giving back to the community. I believe anyone who has been put in a position to be able to give back should. I’ve sponsored several events for the community, like the Safe Kids Downtown Dash. I also handle all veterans’ claims cases for free so the veterans are able to use their finances for themselves and they don’t have to pay an attorney to help them. I try to take on several pro bono criminal cases a year and have discounted our rates for those people charged with crimes that have been put on the public defender’s waiting list. I also will handle some legal issues/matters for first responders for free. They have enough to stress about!

 

As a youngster, what did you think you wanted to grow up to be?

I wanted to be a judge, president or an actress. I’ve done acting and now I’m president of my own company, so I guess so far, I’ve hit two out of three!