March is Women’s History Month, a time for society to collectively take a moment to appreciate the progress and contributions of women in both the public and private spheres. As we examine the excellence of females throughout history, we can introduce them to younger generations as role models who have transformed the world. One key element of women’s success throughout time has been trailblazing new paths in male-dominated arenas, as well as creating frameworks for younger women to aspire to and achieve their goals regardless of what cultural obstacles may stand in their way.
In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (March 8th), Butler Snow is celebrating two of its many incredible female attorneys, Anita Modak-Truran and Andrea La’Verne Edney, not only for their exceptional work in the legal field but also as female leaders who have gone above and beyond to push boundaries fearlessly paving the way for a better world.
Trailblazing Women of Law
Anita Modak-Truran focuses her practice on representing pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers in mass tort and individual cases across the country. For the past decade, she has been responsible for the national coordination of case-specific discovery in mass tort actions involving pelvic mesh products. In this work, she has collaborated with over 150 lawyers from more than 25 law firms throughout the country. She is a member of the Diversity & Inclusivity Committee at Butler Snow and seeks to support women across the field, identifying female mentors along her own path as a foundational pillar of her growth.
“Growing up with an Indian father and traditional values, my family expected me to become a doctor or engineer. However, my true passion was always rooted in advocacy. I knew that going into the legal field would be an arena I could create change and was equipped to tackle whatever challenges would meet me there.” – Anita Modak-Truran
As one of the few female minorities attending Loyola University Chicago’s School of Law to pursue her Juris Doctor, Anita felt the pressure to work harder, a challenge women and minorities have historically faced across the board. She recalls, “My husband looked like Gregory Peck and even though I performed better in school than he did, he received more job offers.”
Anita started her career working at a mid-sized firm then went to the corporation counsel’s office for the City of Chicago, where she gained experience with court calls, eventually working her way up to the affirmative litigation group. She says, “It was a fun practice and I got promoted to Chief Corporation Counsel younger than anyone else ever had by pushing boundaries.”
She joined Butler Snow in 1998. “While it had a different political vibe from the administration I worked for in Chicago, Butler Snow has always embraced growth and forward-thinking. The future is lawyers like La’Verne and myself who bring opportunity to the legal practice and rise above naysayers who say you won’t make it. It hasn’t been a cakewalk – we appreciate and advocate for one another to work through the challenges of the system while staying true to ourselves,” says Anita.
La’Verne Edney practices within Butler Snow’s Pharmaceutical, Medical Device and Healthcare Litigation Group and serves as the Chair of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusivity Committee. She is experienced in defending cases involving product liability, medical negligence, premises liability, bad faith insurance, employment disputes and legal malpractice.
“Once I was given an opportunity in 1993 to go to law school, I wanted to prove the people who didn’t think I could make it wrong. This motivated me to not only work extremely hard but also to get where I am today.” – La’Verne Edney
Going through law school as a mother, La’Verne felt the pressures of balancing parenthood and the pressures of her studies. She says, “I had to play two roles – law student and mom. I still picked my son up from school every day. Sometimes he even attended class with me.”
After La’Verne’s second child was nine months old, she joined a private practice in 1998. She remembers, “I’d do what it took to make sure I was prepared for the next day, even if it meant staying up all night after I put them to bed. My parents always told me, ‘When you get an opportunity, you make sure you do everything you can do to shine.’ So that’s what I did.”
Why Diverse Female Leadership Matters
“As a minority woman in the field of law, I have experienced many challenges including navigating a space where not many before me had succeeded, leading with a bold mindset despite adversity and knowing my worth even when working in a system that was built to hold me back. Through these experiences, I was able to gain confidence and focus on my success while valuing the significance of maintaining my sense of self. But my greatest growth has always been in the moments I’ve made mistakes. That growth helped me to embrace myself as well as the people around me.” – Anita Modak-Truran
When Anita moved from Chicago to Jackson, Miss., she recalls immediately feeling a shift – embedded within the southern culture – that presented new challenges. With an undertone of established belief systems that reminded her of her initial experiences in law school, Anita notes that she would once again be faced with new obstacles to overcome in this new environment. One strategy she had to master was diplomacy, as it was an essential part of continuing to build her already successful career – she distinctly notes there is an art to understanding people. Anita’s bold personality, keen intellect and powerful presence set her apart. Anita quickly embraced the importance of occupying space as a minority female in the legal field, but she also gained the respect of her peers being described as an unstoppable force in the courtroom.
Anita now serves as the Vice President and Program Coordinator for the Trial Attorneys of America. After her 2022 term, she will ascend to President for 2023-2024. Among many other accomplishments, she is a Fellow of the American Bar Association and a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. Anita has also been recognized in Best Lawyers in America® and Mid-South Super Lawyers® and is AV®-Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®. Her leadership was also inspiring other minority women near and far when faced with similar challenges.
“Of course, I’ve experienced a lot of challenges as an African American female. I have dealt with it for as long as I can remember and deal with it almost daily in some form. There is often a set of questions about my accomplishments or opportunities I’ve earned because of my race and my gender. Seeing women like Anita pushing those boundaries helped me to do the same.” – La’Verne Edney
La’Verne shared a similar experience as Anita when beginning to work as an attorney. Seeing people react to her success or accomplishments with questions instead of immediate support was something she identifies as a constant in her life. However, La’Verne possesses a unique way of empathizing with people no matter the situation. Her philosophy was centered on educating people as a way to navigate difficult conversations. This philosophy would also lead her to serve as the Chair of Butler Snow’s Diversity & Inclusion committee. She values teaching moments and seeks to educate people as a way of reframing her surroundings and pushing back on negative stereotyping across the board.
Along with serving as the Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, La’Verne is also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and an Associate and member of the Executive Committee of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). She is currently Vice President of ABOTA and will serve as the organization’s first female African American National President in 2024. She has received numerous honors and recognition for her expertise including being recognized by Chambers USA® and has been named one of the Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Mass Torts/Class Actions since 2016.
Female Mentorship & Defining Success
“All of my most impactful mentors have been women who supported me and fascinated opportunities that would help me grow professionally and personally. Those women were the ones who truly looked out for me in my career, and that continued when I joined Butler Snow.” – Anita Modak-Truran
Anita followed her philosophy of supporting other women at Butler Snow, she has focused on ensuring people’s talents are showcased and that they are given the platforms to do so. Anita notes that she and La’Verne, both, feel a sense of obligation to share their insights, learnings, and experiences with younger female attorneys to help them succeed in breaking through barriers. Anita defines success through balance – being able to balance a happy life, pursuing passions, and recognizing that each lesson brings growth. Her passion has clearly shown through in her consistent advocacy not only for her clients but also the people closest to her. She believes in the value of mentoring other women to help them define their own paths and success.
“I was fortunate enough to have a few really good mentors and one of them was a man who really supported me when I started out my career in Mississippi law. Women tend not to get calls directly. We do the work, but we don’t necessarily get the calls directly. I had those mentors who needed a workhorse, and I was someone who wanted to dive in full force. I developed relationships with some of their clients and eventually found other mentors who were incredibly impactful in my life. I’d say for any woman who’s interested in doing the kind of work that we do, be prepared to come in and work hard.” – La’Verne Edney
La’Verne recalls that it wasn’t until the late 1990s that large law firms in Mississippi really started hiring African Americans and people of color. She’d volunteered growing up to go in and listen to cases in court and eventually decided to go to law school after working for a local judge. She notes that things have changed, but they haven’t changed as much as we’d like to see. Women still have to work harder than others so having a mentor who is helping you succeed is essential.
One of the most important things La’Verne points to as a definition for success is to be happy in whatever it is one is doing in life. “To be fulfilled and have purpose, that is success. Balance is key and following your passion is so very important to finding joy.”
Guiding Principles & Takeaways
“When I see women in law get more incentivized and driven to work harder when one person is given an opportunity they want – it’s energizing.” – Anita Modak-Truran
Anita attributes her growth to elevating others. While it’s tempting to take all the good cases, she makes it a priority to show others they can lead. It’s this mentality that has allowed her to elevate in law and help shape the future for prosperous future women in leadership.
“In order to continue elevating women in law, we need to foster a supportive community. We need to get outside of the work environment, engage in conversations, refer clients – learn from each other.” – La’Verne Edney
This year, La’Verne has made a personal mission to learn from the active Women’s Initiative groups in the Butler Snow offices to further create a sense of empowerment and community across teams. Knowing the challenges that face many females in law, like elevating into leadership positions and maintaining a work life balance, she’s invested in making a lasting change that will combat them.
When reflecting on Women’s History Month, it’s important to recognize where we started and how far we have yet to come with diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of law. Anita and La’Verne both agree that being armed with new frameworks for success and creating intentional opportunities for women of all backgrounds to lead will continue to pave the way for transforming the industry.
