We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Taylon Sumners-schwartz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Taylon below.
Taylon, thank you so much for making time for us today. We can’t wait to dive into your story and the lessons you’ve learned along the way, but maybe we can start with something foundational to your success. How have you gone about developing your ability to communicate effectively?
Effective communication is one of the most important parts of my job as a criminal defense attorney. Looking back to when I was first deciding to focus on criminal defense as my main practice area, I had the opportunity to volunteer at a maximum security male penitentiary teaching criminal justice to inmates. In speaking with these men, a majority of their complaints regarding their representation and experience within the criminal justice system was the inability to understand and be informed regarding what was happening throughout their cases, as well as the refusal of those within the court system to listen to them and answer their questions.
I took a step back and imagined myself in each of the students’ shoes, ultimately deciding through this experience that if I do one thing well when representing my clients it will be to effectively communicate. In my profession, I see people at some of the lowest, scariest points of their life who have never dealt with the criminal justice system before. The key to building trust with clients during these difficult times is to exercise compassion and make sure that they feel heard and understand the process.
Especially when it comes to what’s going to happen next. There are so many things that my clients have the inability to control when they are going through this process, so it’s important that at a minimum they understand what is happening and why. Knowledge is power and when people are without knowledge it is easy to feel powerless and untrusting. For each client I represent I try to give them as much information as possible as frequently as possible. Effective communication can be as simple as listening to what your client has to say to merely answering their questions no matter how obvious the answers may seem. Patience truly is a virtue when it comes to effective communication.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a criminal defense attorney who recently opened my own law practice in rural southwest Missouri, 15-minutes (on a good day) from where I grew up. I spent nine years interning, working as a paralegal, then working as an attorney at a larger criminal defense firm before making the decision to open my own practice. There have been many rewarding aspects of opening my own practice to give back to the communities that raised me, but the most rewarding part has been the ability to have control over the cases that I take on and how I handle them.
My firm focuses on providing the three “c’s:” compassion, communication, and credibility in and outside of the courtroom. I want to create a lasting impact for my clients, in the sense that whatever charges they’re facing don’t define them for the rest of their lives going forward. I have the opportunity to provide support to those who need it during these difficult times between my clients and their families, while also watching my clients grow from this experience to make positive life choices going forward. My firm handles a multitude of criminal matters from traffic tickets all the way to high level felonies that carry life in prison.
I understand what it’s like to be someone in your field who looks different than those around you. I’m always happy to mentor / offer advice to others looking to pursue law or open their own business. Please don’t ever hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected]. If you want to learn more about me, follow my firm on Instagram or like us on Facebook at Sumners-Schwartz Law, find me on linked in as Taylon Sumners-Schwartz, or watch / listen to the two-part podcast I was recently featured on, Our Non-Toxic Podcast: https://youtu.be/YIzzcyhMMPE (part I), https://youtu.be/YTEljIn0QP8 (part II)
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I believe the skills / qualities that have been most impactful to my journey in becoming an attorney and now owning my own law firm are: compassion, perseverance, and patience. My advice is to never give up on your dream whatever rabbit holes it may lead you down, no matter where you have to start. I started out shining shoes and picking up dry cleaning for my bosses before becoming a paralegal in that same law firm. I was never too proud to do any job within the firm and my work ethic and patience allowed me to be promoted within that company time and time again. When it came to getting into law school I did poorly on the LSAT and thought maybe I wasn’t meant to be an attorney, or that it was a sign that I would be terrible at it. But, I accepted my failures and I persevered when I eventually took the LSAT again and was able to get into law school, where I graduated with Dean’s Honors. Compassion is probably the single most important trait to have, because it goes hand in hand with being kind to everyone around you, whether they are the janitor or the CEO. People will always remember how you treat them and for me it has paid off professionally to be known as someone who is kind to others, showing them compassion no matter how they treat me in return. Professional relationships are important and cannot be built if you’re not willing to be curious, rather than judgmental as the great Ted Lasso once said. Be kind, ask questions, and never give up because no matter what your goals are you will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on someone else’s life and your perspective matters.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
My biggest area of growth over the last 12 months has been the ability to take a step back and show myself grace for not knowing everything there is to know when it comes to running a business or practicing law. The rollercoaster of emotions that comes with owning a business and practicing law with colleagues who have been doing this for 20+ years, makes it hard not to get stuck in the comparison mindset, where you believe everyone has it figured out but you. I’ve been learning that this may not only be a false narrative I’m telling myself, but also that even if it’s not there’s always more to be learned and that’s not a bad thing. Imposter syndrome is something that I, like many others struggle with, but showing myself grace and focusing on my strengths versus what I perceive as my weaknesses has been helpful. Also, having a rockstar therapist and good support system doesn’t hurt!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ssmolaw.com
- Instagram: Sumners-Schwartz Law (ssmolaw)
- Facebook: Sumners-Schwartz Law
- Linkedin: Taylon Sumners-Schwartz
- Other: [email protected]
Image Credits
Skylar Gage Photography
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