Attorney, Co-owner, Dabbs & Pomtree, Attorneys
Susan Dabbs Pomtree might not have grown up with the dream of becoming an attorney — she originally wanted to pursue broadcast journalism or criminal justice — but she eventually decided to follow in the footsteps of her father, who worked as an attorney in Little Rock for 50 years.
Her father came out of retirement to mentor her and her husband, Nealon Pomtree, with whom she now co-owns Dabbs & Pomtree, Attorneys, in Little Rock.
“As a lawyer, I am a very empathetic person,” she said. “My clients are more than just numbers to me. I have a passion for helping people, and the client with a $10,000 case deserves the same treatment as the one with the million-dollar case. Our office may be a bit unique in that we all work together as a team on each case. My husband and I each have our own strengths, and we combine them to give each client the best representation that we can.”
As a personal-injury attorney, continually adapting to work within the confines of the ever-changing laws affecting claims can be a challenge, she said. The reward is making financial recoveries for those who have been injured by the negligence of others through no fault of their own.
Over nearly 35 years in the business, Pomtree has seen her share of industry changes, not the least of which are attitudes surrounding gender. When she started in 1992, she said, there were not many female attorneys who concentrated their practice on personal injury, and the majority of insurance adjusters she worked with were male.
“I can remember one particular incident where I was in a deposition with several male attorneys, and one of them asked all those in the room if they should let the ‘little lady’ ask some questions, as if they had a real choice in the matter,” she said. “I was silently stunned by the lack of respect, but I maintained my composure, asked my questions and ultimately obtained a successful settlement for my client. Women attorneys have progressed significantly in the workplace since those days.”
In addition to her legal career, she has also been a licensed NFL agent — another male-dominated field — and, in 2016, fulfilled her desire to work in criminal justice by becoming a Pulaski County reserve deputy. She also supports causes related to animal rescue.
She said she is proud to carry on the legacy of the family-owned law firm her father created during the 1950s and counts herself as fortunate to have represented some of the children and grandchildren of her father’s original clients.
“As the twilight of my legal career approaches, I want to be able to look back over the years and say I helped many people through a painful, stressful and overwhelming time in their lives,” she said. “In the end, it will be enough to reminisce about my career and know that I have made at least a small difference in the lives of my clients.”
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