"Young women can do anything they put their minds to.”
Farah & Farah is celebrating Women’s History Month this March to honor their remarkable female attorneys’ hard work and accomplishments. We spoke to one of the team’s Tampa personal injury attorneys, Kaley Dreyer, about using empathy as her superpower and being respected as a woman in the workplace.
Why Did You Decide to Become an Attorney? What Inspired You?
Fueled by Family and Empathy
Coming from a family of professionals, a big career was always in the works for Kaley. While her family has always been her biggest inspiration, she hinted she’s “always loved being able to help people in their time of need.”
Built on grace and kindness, Kaley has used her empathy as a superpower while working as an attorney.
What Accomplishments at Farah & Farah are You Most Proud Of?
Sharpening Negotiation Skills & Seeing Results
As a caring individual, Kaley is proud of being able to help her clients at Farah & Farah. Previously, clients have pointed out her empathy and hardworking nature. Hearing clients tell Kaley how appreciative they are of the results of their cases has been a massive milestone for her career.
The case that stands out the most to Kaley is one involving a very serious accident in which two minors sustained horrific injuries. The insurance company put up a fight despite the seriousness of the accident. Being able to argue on behalf of her clients in this case allowed her to sharpen her negotiation skills. This case, Kaley mentioned, has helped her see how far she has grown in her career as a woman and professional with Farah & Farah.
Why Is Women’s History and Recognition Important to You?
Finding Success in a Male-Dominated Industry
Given women’s history, especially in the legal profession, Kaley feels immense pride to be a female attorney and be a successful woman in the field. Since the workplace was traditionally dominated by men, keeping women’s history and recognition alive is more important than ever, Kaley emphasized.
What Women Leaders Do You Admire and Why?
Hardworking Women Starts in the Family
While Kaley mentioned Ruth Bader Ginsburg as a big inspiration in the Supreme Court, her biggest inspirations have been the women in her family. Growing up around admirable and exceptional women is where Kaley attributes gaining a lot of her own success as a professional.
In Your Lifetime, What Challenges Have You Seen Women Overcome in Their Careers?
Finding Confidence in Our Capabilities
The challenges Kaley has seen women overcome in their careers have largely been being accepted and respected. Kaley said with conviction that women should “push through the barrier of being respected: stand your ground, and be confident of your accomplishments. You’re just as capable.”
What Challenges Have You Seen Women Overcome in the Legal Profession Specifically?
Working Harder to Prove Your Worth
In the legal profession, Kaley has found a large sum of people prefer having a male attorney compared to a female attorney. However, women are held up to the same standard as a male when calculating the end results of a case. This challenge has led professional women like Kaley to work harder and prove their worth in the workplace.
What Advice Would You Give to Women Who are Looking to Enter the Field of Law?
Believing in Yourself and Using Kindness As a Strength
Kaley’s biggest advice is that “young women can do anything they put their mind to.” Entering law school, Kaley described herself as always being a bit more reserved, but that as an attorney you don’t always have to be adversarial. Kaley believes in ‘killing people with kindness’, so to speak, by showing that women can do anything within the field of law, no matter what their personality is like.
