We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Elizabeth Emmanuel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Elizabeth, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Often the greatest growth and the biggest wins come right after a defeat. Other times the failure serves as a lesson that’s helpful later in your journey. We’d appreciate if you could open up about a time you’ve failed.

Before I became a judge, I was a prosecutor for a district attorney’s office. So that means that I have seen my fair share of trials. And I mean that literally because my first trial was perhaps the greatest failure that I experienced in my legal career. Prosecuting a career criminal who had crashed a 10,000 pound stolen semi-tractor trailer truck into a home while the homeowners were inside of the home sleeping was supposed to be my introduction to trial victory. But it ended up being my introduction to defeat. Through a series of unfortunate events, the defendant ended up getting off scot-free, and I ended up doubting whether I should even set foot in another courtroom again. But through that loss and failure, I learned how to continue moving forward even in the face of loss. That each experience, even the hard ones, molds and shapes us into the success stories that we are today. And that if you learn something from each failure, then perhaps it wasn’t such a failure after all.

Elizabeth, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a Magistrate Court Judge in Atlanta, Georgia. Before becoming a Judge, I was a prosecutor and later, a corporate litigator with an international law firm. I am originally from a small town in middle Georgia and grew up on a farm. My family member, the late CB King, Jr., who represented Martin Luther King, Jr. during the civil rights movement also inspired me to pursue a career in the legal field. My motto is that I will always use my abilities to help others and I felt that through the practice of law, I have accomplished this. I am most proud of the fact that during my experiences being a prosecutor, a defense attorney and now a Judge, I have been able to positively impact the lives of others.

Any advice for managing a team?

Managing a team takes a clear understanding of people’s strengths and weaknesses. Honing in on what each individual team member can do best and for the benefit of the team produces strong results. Maintaining high morale comes from celebrating individual member’s successes, encouraging them when mistakes may have been made, and constructive instruction as to how to do better.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

In my field, confidence and preparation is key. Building one’s reputation in the legal field is based upon begin confident in your abilities whether in the courtroom or interacting with a client and being properly prepared based on a firm understanding of the law and the facts of the case. It also immensely helps to be well-organized.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.magistratefulton.org/Directory.aspx?EID=54
• Instagram: @judgeliz_
• Facebook: Elizabeth Emmanuel
• Linkedin: Judge Elizabeth Emmanuel

Image Credits
Ian Shelby, shellzphotography