Emerging Leader Spotlight: Anne Laurie
Name: Anne Laurie McClurkin, Esq.
Company: McDowell Knight Roedder & Sledge, LLC
Position: Attorney-member
Anne Laurie has practiced law with the McDowell Knight firm in Mobile since 2004. She specializes in labor and employment, and her practice includes defending employers at trial and guiding companies through difficult situations in an effort to protect them from litigation.
In 2015, Mobile Bay Magazine included Anne Laurie in its “40 Under Forty” selection of Mobile’s most influential young leaders. Anne Laurie also has received praise from her legal peers, and for a number of consecutive years since 2010 has been named by Super Lawyers as one of Alabama’s “rising stars.” In 2014, Mobile United nominated Anne Laurie to be a member of Leadership Mobile. Anne Laurie worked on Leadership Mobile’s education project and is a graduate of the Class of 2014.
Anne Laurie is involved with a number of community service organizations and regularly provides pro bono legal services to non-profits dedicated to serving abused and underprivileged women and children. She has been a member of Emerging Leaders since 2014 and currently serves as the committee’s Chair.
Anne Laurie received her bachelor’s degree and later her law degree from the University of Alabama. She currently lives in Fairhope, but admittedly probably spends more time in Mobile since her office is downtown.
What attracted you to volunteering with our Emerging Leaders Affinity Group?
As an attorney (and this applies to any profession), I have to carefully manage the time I spend working, trying to develop and grow my career, and contributing to community and civic interests. I think EL is a good opportunity to consolidate those objectives since it brings young, leading professionals together for the unified mission of promoting philanthropy and benefiting a targeted community need. And, as a branch of United Way, I view EL as sharing in the reputation for trust that United Way has earned from a long history of successful and reliable community support.
What’s your favorite volunteer experience since joining?
In my first Day of Caring event, I was on a team who was asked to do some touch up and minor repair work at the Dumas Wesley Community Center. Neither of those tasks is remotely within my wheelhouse of talents or even capabilities, but my teammates carried me and everyone at the center was extremely gracious. I had the opportunity to observe the center’s daily operations and the families who rely on the center’s services. It was humbling. When we were finished, everyone at the center was so grateful and kept thanking us profusely. They even made us lunch. I remember thinking I should be thanking them. I hope I helped a little to make the center nicer, but the perspective and awareness I gained was, I am quite sure, more valuable.
What Mobile County issue are you most passionate about and why?
Education. It seems pretty non-controversial that good schools and educational opportunities are a key ingredient for a successful community. Still, there are so many shortfalls in our public schools. I wanted to understand why. The work I did on Leadership Mobile’s education project was really informative and helpful in this regard. I realize understanding why is only a step in the problem-solving process, but as far as issues to be passionate about, I can’t think of another that should be of paramount concern to every person living in this area (including individuals living in Baldwin County, who are retired, who work but don’t have school-aged children, who do have school-aged children and regardless of whether the children attend private or public school …. every person living in this area).
Favorite Leadership Quote:
“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” A close or equal one, if I can pick two, is “Let’s roll.” The messages are similar.
How do you balance Family, Work and Community Involvement?
Necessity (ignoring any of these isn’t really an option)….. with a little help from my Mom (okay, a lot of help). Let’s be clear, though, I don’t profess to always strike the right balance. Seldom, if ever, is there a day when I think, “Nice, all of these areas in my life are thriving equally.” I try to steer my efforts to the people, clients, or projects that appear to need me the most that day and hope the rest can survive until tomorrow.