expected of associates. Working the twelve-hour days, five days a week, and at least eight hours on Saturday, she was expected to get her work done, and if there weren’t enough hours in a six-day week, then her Sundays with Carter had to be sacrificed. DMT didn’t worry about whether its associates attendedchurch; the work came first.
Rather than give up her family day, she chose to bring work home during the week and work long after Carter had gone to bed. Most nights, Amy didn’t fall asleep until two, and she was up before six. Long ago, she learned to get by on less than four hours of sleep.
Amy desperately hoped her hard work would be rewarded with a partnership. The promise of that achievement was the very reason she returned home following her divorce. She knew achieving partnership in New York would be arduous. She also recognized that back home Carter would have a good environment in which to grow up near the aunt who raised her and her younger cousins. Amy’s decision to return to her hometown of Franklin, Tennessee, and work in Nashville was not the path she originally intended, however.
In 1983, Amy Pierce graduated second in her class from the University of Virginia Law School. Her ex-husband, Daniel Smith, was the valedictorian. After graduation, Dan and Amy, Mr. and Mrs., one and two, had accepted positions with large law firms in New York City. But their jobs were very demanding, with each working eighty hours a week. They barely saw each other. While Amy loved the work and the pace, Dan crumbled under the pressure. Their marriage was always under stress, and the birth of Carter added to their existing problems. Even Amy had difficulty balancing motherhood and career.
Dan was no help when it came to Carter. He was no more ready for fatherhood than he was for a high-intensity career and marriage. Dan became an alcoholic and, despite trying AA, eventually got fired because ofhis drinking. At twenty-nine, he was washed up and spiraling downward. Amy had no intent of being pulled down with him, so she divorced Dan and moved to Franklin.
She took the I-65 exit ramp toward downtown Nashville. Amy was in a particular rush this morning because before she left last night, the firm’s managing partner, Lowell Thomas, requested an 8:00 a.m. meeting to discuss Amy’s assignment of a new client. Amy wanted to review the background of the client, Planter’s Insurance Company, or PIC, before sitting down with Thomas. She had been given a great opportunity, and she intended to make the most of it. The information in the file on her desk told her that Planter’s was going to be a substantial and lucrative client. This assignment would raise Amy’s visibility at the firm above the other associates and might increase her status with the Partnership Committee.
As she was thinking of her new client and trying cases on its behalf, Thomas stuck his head in her office. “Amy, change of plans. I need to cancel our meeting. Last night, Jim Davenport of PIC called and said he’d be in Nashville for lunch. He requested a noon lunch meeting with the two of us, so rearrange your schedule.”
Because she was unsure of the meeting’s length, Amy rescheduled two appointments.
At 11:40, Thomas walked back into her office. “Let’s go. I don’t want to keep Davenport waiting.”
Amy and Thomas rode the elevator to the twenty-seventh floor to the Capitol City Club. Despite Thomas’s best efforts to be early, Davenport was waiting in the entry hall. Thomas introduced Amy to Davenport, and they were led to their table. The trio exchangedgreetings and chitchatted for a few minutes.
Davenport proceeded to cross-examine Amy about her education, employment, and experience, even though he already knew the answers from her bio in the firm’s brochure. He wanted to hear it from her.
Davenport then guided the conversation to PIC. He described the company’s history and business philosophy. Two families, one from Birmingham and
Rather than give up her family day, she chose to bring work home during the week and work long after Carter had gone to bed. Most nights, Amy didn’t fall asleep until two, and she was up before six. Long ago, she learned to get by on less than four hours of sleep.
Amy desperately hoped her hard work would be rewarded with a partnership. The promise of that achievement was the very reason she returned home following her divorce. She knew achieving partnership in New York would be arduous. She also recognized that back home Carter would have a good environment in which to grow up near the aunt who raised her and her younger cousins. Amy’s decision to return to her hometown of Franklin, Tennessee, and work in Nashville was not the path she originally intended, however.
In 1983, Amy Pierce graduated second in her class from the University of Virginia Law School. Her ex-husband, Daniel Smith, was the valedictorian. After graduation, Dan and Amy, Mr. and Mrs., one and two, had accepted positions with large law firms in New York City. But their jobs were very demanding, with each working eighty hours a week. They barely saw each other. While Amy loved the work and the pace, Dan crumbled under the pressure. Their marriage was always under stress, and the birth of Carter added to their existing problems. Even Amy had difficulty balancing motherhood and career.
Dan was no help when it came to Carter. He was no more ready for fatherhood than he was for a high-intensity career and marriage. Dan became an alcoholic and, despite trying AA, eventually got fired because ofhis drinking. At twenty-nine, he was washed up and spiraling downward. Amy had no intent of being pulled down with him, so she divorced Dan and moved to Franklin.
She took the I-65 exit ramp toward downtown Nashville. Amy was in a particular rush this morning because before she left last night, the firm’s managing partner, Lowell Thomas, requested an 8:00 a.m. meeting to discuss Amy’s assignment of a new client. Amy wanted to review the background of the client, Planter’s Insurance Company, or PIC, before sitting down with Thomas. She had been given a great opportunity, and she intended to make the most of it. The information in the file on her desk told her that Planter’s was going to be a substantial and lucrative client. This assignment would raise Amy’s visibility at the firm above the other associates and might increase her status with the Partnership Committee.
As she was thinking of her new client and trying cases on its behalf, Thomas stuck his head in her office. “Amy, change of plans. I need to cancel our meeting. Last night, Jim Davenport of PIC called and said he’d be in Nashville for lunch. He requested a noon lunch meeting with the two of us, so rearrange your schedule.”
Because she was unsure of the meeting’s length, Amy rescheduled two appointments.
At 11:40, Thomas walked back into her office. “Let’s go. I don’t want to keep Davenport waiting.”
Amy and Thomas rode the elevator to the twenty-seventh floor to the Capitol City Club. Despite Thomas’s best efforts to be early, Davenport was waiting in the entry hall. Thomas introduced Amy to Davenport, and they were led to their table. The trio exchangedgreetings and chitchatted for a few minutes.
Davenport proceeded to cross-examine Amy about her education, employment, and experience, even though he already knew the answers from her bio in the firm’s brochure. He wanted to hear it from her.
Davenport then guided the conversation to PIC. He described the company’s history and business philosophy. Two families, one from Birmingham and
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