58 PROFESSIONAL WOMANS MULTICULTURAL MAGAZINE WWW.PROFESSIONALWOMANMAG.COM

SUPPLIER DIVERSITY

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s a Certified Family Law Specialist and the founder of The Graves Law Firm serving Los Angeles county, Demetria Graves handles all aspects of family law, including divorce, child custody, child support, modifications, paternity, visitation rights and other related legal issues in California. She is a family law advocate that is committed to getting her clients lives back on track in a way that is both efficient and affordable. Graves guides her clients through the le- gal process with compassion and personally attends to each client. Graves, a graduate of UC Berkeley and Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, learned how to own and operate her business at just 25 years old, right out of law school. Over the years, she has strengthened her management and ownership skills and is honored to operate her law practice and assist other women in doing the same. When Graves first opened her firm in 2005, fam- ily law was dominated, as were most businesses, by men - primarily white men. Graves would like to think that the culture is changing due to the Me Too movement, the inclusion of women and mi- norities in all industries, and the biggest change of all, COVID-19. Prior to this time, Graves said she always knew she had to work twice as hard standing next to her sometimes-mediocre male colleagues. What I have learned for sure is that you must understand the business of operating your law prac- tice, such as your city licensing, firm management, payroll, systems and the day-to-day operations that everyone understands, Graves said. The business is a marathon, not a sprint, and slow and easy is still my current model. You must always be open to learning, sharpening your skills and becoming the best you can possibly be. We are all practicing law, which pro- vides space for us to always grow and perfect our skills. Graves is the author of a new book, titled, Women Who Run the Firm: How to successfully launch your law practice with confidence , which will be available for purchase on Amazon in March. The book will give women lawyers a step-by-step guide to law firm ownership and will feature interviews with seven suc- cessful law firm founders. Im excited to share my knowledge and experi- ence both founding and running a successful law firm with other women, said Graves. In addition to her book, you can catch Graves hosting her weekly podcast Legally Uncensored, on Dash Talk X and Apple Podcast. The podcast is per- fect for those who are curious about navigating the legal system, or just curious about celebrity legal dra- ma, as Graves breaks down the latest celebrity legal headlines and discusses how listeners can best handle these types of legal challenges, should they arise in

Meet Demetria Graves:

The Attorney Leading Women in Law

their own lives. Graves practices what she preaches. She is the re- cipient of many honors and awards, recently among them the Los Angeles Business Journal s 2021 Most Influential Minorities: Attorneys' list and the Los An- geles Business Journal s 2020 Thriving in their 40s list. She was also named Top 40 under 40 in 2018 by the National Bar Association and has been named a Southern California Super Lawyer since 2016; prior to that, she was a 'Southern California Rising Star. A former professor of family law, Graves is the recipient of West Los Angeles Colleges illustrious Teacher of the Year award and is also a sought-after

PHOTO CREDIT: PASADENA MAGAZINE

legal expert who was recently quoted in U.S. News & World Report. For more information, or to speak with Demetria Graves: Demetria L. Graves, Esq. Certified Family Law Specialist* 1055 E. Colorado Blvd., Suite 500 Pasadena, CA 91106 626-365-1037 Graves@graveslawfirmca.com losangeles-divorcelaw.com *Certified by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization

Find Out More & Stay Connected:

Website: https://www.losangeles-divorcelaw.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/graveslaw- irm/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/civildivorce/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC- CqfpLkZ6qwQvBVsqsT9Etw?sub_confirmation=1 Dash Talk X: https://dashradio.com/talkx Facebook Podcast: https://www.facebook.com/ Legally-Uncensored-with-Demetria-Graves-CF LS-102067078561378

The business is a marathon, not a sprint, and slow and easy is still my current model. You must always be open to learning, sharpening your skills, and becoming the best you can possibly be."