Sheila K. Sachs

Sheila was a pioneer in the field of Family Law, and a pioneer for women lawyers. Sheila joined the Firm in 1977 and was among the first women to become a partner at Gordon Feinblatt. She devoted a substantial part of her practice to the field of family law. The Firm's Sheila Sachs Family Law Group is named in Sheila's honor, and her legacy is lived on by all of the attorneys at Gordon Feinblatt.

As befitting Sheila’s take-charge attitude, the best way to describe Sheila is to use Sheila’s own words. The following are excerpts from an interview with Sheila that was part of Gordon Feinblatt’s March 2019 Women’s History celebration.

Q:        If you could share a piece of advice with the next generation of women entering the workforce, what would it be?

A:        Find a field in which you are truly interested. Initially, people want to get a job, or “the job”, focusing on prestige and salary. But, job satisfaction is the most important thing. You will not do your best in a field in which you are not committed to learning everything there is to know about your field. It may take some trial and error before you find the right place.

Q:        Tell us how a mentor or influential woman has made a difference in your life.

A:        In my era, I did not have a woman as a mentor. The founding partners at Gordon Feinblatt, particularly Gene Feinblatt and Donald Rothman, gave me responsibility, and were models of leaders in the legal, cultural, civic and political communities in Baltimore.

Q:        What are the three things you do regularly to feel fulfilled?

A:        Keep informed, read, read, read (fiction and non-fiction), make time for family and friends.

Q:        If you were to ask a group of people who know you, what three adjectives would they use to describe you?

A:        I did ask people who know me to suggest adjectives to describe me – good and bad. I’m afraid they were mostly positive, but the adjectives that recurred were knowledgeable, insightful, leader and role model.

Q:        Tell us about a time when you almost gave up, and what you did instead of giving up.

A:        About four years after I came to Gordon Feinblatt in 1981, I felt that the practice, and particularly the stress and demands of trying cases, was overwhelming. I still had two teenagers at home at that time, and a husband in public life. I considered getting out of the practice of law. I stuck it out, and learned how to put all the energy I needed into the cases, but not make them the exclusive controlling factor in my life. Family came first.

Q:        What three values are most important to you?

A:        Honesty, integrity and sincerity.

Q:        What are some of the best tactics for balancing a demanding career and your life outside of work?

A:        Deciding, and not wasting time “stewing” when problems arise and decisions have to be made – whether at work or at home.

Q:        Have you experienced the defining moment in your life when you knew you were exactly where you wanted to be?

A:        I do not believe there is ever a “defining moment” in life. You can never be exactly where you “want to be”, because there is always something new ahead. Not sitting back on your laurels, but continuing to learn as if you do not know everything is how to keep your edge.

In fact, Sheila never rested on her laurels, she was always continuing to learn, and continuing to serve. She was quite simply the best divorce lawyer in town, and everyone knew it. Her opponents respected her, and her clients loved her.