Meet Neena Speer: Lawyer | Author | Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Neena Speer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Neena, looking back, what do you think was the most difficult decision you’ve had to make?
There is going to be a day in your life where you sit down and ask yourself is it worth it? Do you chase your dreams or do you chase a position? However, my question is, is there a happy medium between the two? In college, I stepped down from running for a position that I have dreamed of having for years. It was not an easy decision, and the word “quit” is not in my vocabulary.

Even though I realized that the position would be a great opportunity for me, I had to ask myself if my impact was holding people back from being able to make an even greater impact. I know that I am a dynamic leader however, I jumped in without giving myself the opportunity to grow and benefit as a simple member within the organization. My ambitions, expectations, and contributions seemed to be causing contention and confusion even though they were meant to inspire and encourage. The organization was not mature enough for all I had to offer and the executive board members’ goals and ideas were evidently not currently compatible with mine.

So, I chose to leave the board of my organization. I learned that though I cared a lot about everyone involved, it was more important to step back and allow the organization to get stronger because of the differences I had made while I was there. The risk was that my leaving may not have yielded a more successful leadership team. However, I knew the risk would be worth it if it set the organization on a straighter path. I had to put the cause and members that I cared so much about ahead of my own desires and by risking my position on the board in hopes of allowing for a stronger group I learned that the individual, though dynamic and powerful, is not more important than the whole.

What should our readers know about your business?
I have always valued being open and candid about my life journey in law so much so I created an intimate guide and journal specially curated for the minority women aspiring to be a lawyer. Now when it became an #AmazonBestSeller last month, I finally began seeing new plans and opportunities to speak. However, before that, I was JUST LIKE YOU: not believing in myself. I had 2 chapters of #DearFutureLawyer and still wanted to give up. However, I had mentors that refused to let me give up on me.

So, I in turn refuse to give up on you, sis. I am making a #DearFutureLawyerCourse just for you and launching in Spring 2021. If you need a safe space sis, my book brand IG page @Dearfuturelawyer has a link to my #LostSistersCircle of 350+ minority women interested in law that I developed during this pandemic because I was tired of resources being kept under lock and key or saturated by promos in groups. I hope your school recognizes what I already know to be true this coming year and puts me on the agenda to speak like when my mentor @Evangeline Mitchell invited me to speak at the National Diversity Conference on “The Importance of Diversity in Leadership Development” that even my alma mater @alabamalaw featured as being a story worth telling.

I never knew the same girl who had a LOW LSAT SCORE, WAS DEPRESSED, ALMOST FLUNKED OUT OF ALABAMA LAW, AND FAILED THE BAR could ever become a lawyer, author, and speaker of truth nor own 3 successful businesses (1 nonprofit and 2 LLCs) before the age of 28.

However, HERE I AM. Now, I wanna teach my #DearFutureLawyer course at your school because you deserve a #SAFESPACE, so let’s make it happen. You deserve more lawyers who look like you speaking life into you sis! Tell Your Dean I Can !

🏽‍⚖ #➕PlusSizeLawyer #TrademarkLawyer #GodsGotIt #poppabearwatchingme Send your admissions counselor, dean, alumni my link to book me to come down and give one of my signature talks at your school: https://bit.ly/CollabswithNeena

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
In Birmingham, AL
Purple Onion is great for a quick bite in Homewood, AL
Magic City Grill for great buffet style Southern cooking
Yo Momma’s for a Southern cooking experience and black family owned business like no other
Slutty Vegan in Birmingham, AL now too for the experience
Visit the Civil Rights Institute for the history.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Donnie Ray Speer (my late father) for all the dedication and discipline you inspired in me.

Website: Neenarspeerlawfirm.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/neenarspeerlawfirm?igshid=bhyvx0avmutb
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neenarspeeresq
Twitter: https://twitter.com/neenarspeerlaw?s=09
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neenarspeerlawfirm/
Yelp: https://yelp.to/uB2THh1Uucb
Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCEWRUD4jz_1NFSUomjcOeaA
Other: https://bit.ly/MCBAHonorsNeena
https://bit.ly/Neena10TipstoSaveMoney
https://bit.ly/LawyerNeenaGotFreebies
https://bit.ly/CollabswithNeena
https://bit.ly/BWMB2020

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