Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlotte Tate.
Hi Charlotte, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am originally from the United Kingdom and move to Dallas with my family in 1994, when I was in elementary school. I attended Woodrow Wilson HS in East Dallas and from there completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, followed by a Juris Doctorate in law from the University of Texas in Austin. Throughout college and law school, I would work at my family’s English pubs, when I was home on break.
Upon graduation from law school in 2010, jobs were not so easy to come by, as the effects of the 2008 recession had changed the hiring practices of law firms, who had scaled back on or deferred new hires for the few years, prior to my graduation. I moved back to Dallas and began helping out in my family’s restaurants, with an intention to find a job at a law firm when the economy improved. Instead, I ended up staying on with my family’s business, handling all of our legal and HR work, as well as taking an active role in management and operations. Today, I am the Chief Operating Officer four our three existing (soon to be four) locations.
In addition to my role at The Londoner Pub (www.thelondonerpub.com), I also work as general counsel to several smaller businesses, including: SBI Fine Fabric Finishing; Free Reign Farm; and MIM Therapy PLLC. My areas of focus are contract, commercial real estate and employment law, with experience in trademark, estate and family law.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In addition to the struggle finding employment during the 2008 recession and thereafter, it was a struggle to garner respect within a male-dominant industry, a trait the hospitality industry shares with the legal field.
In 2020, during the COVID pandemic, the government forced the shut down of our restaurants, forcing me to pivot to support my family (my oldest daughter was born in December 2019). I signed up for online legal work with justanswer.com, which helped support my family while the businesses struggled and parlayed that experience into my first outside general counsel role with SBI Fine Fabric Finishing.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
The years growing up in a family business and then working in that business have given me (I believe) the personal experience running and owning a small business. The experiences and hurdles I have overcome running our own businesses, provide an invaluable experience and insight to assist my other small business clients.
My client list is small and by referral only, which allows me to have more of a personal relationship and better advocacy for my clients. I am able to give these clients all of the benefits on an in-house counsel, at a fraction of the cost.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I am an introvert at heart, and speaking in front of large crowds or in a news interview, makes me incredibly nervous.
Pricing:
- $400 per hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thelondonerpub.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-tate-1b75529/
