by Richard Prior
Staff Writer
When trying to explain something as complex as the law, the smallest prop can be helpful. Even an unlikely prop, such as footwear.
One of Jennifer Watson’s first Law Week assignments a few years back was to talk about the law and lawyers to a class at Mandarin High School.
“When I did my presentation, I took a shoe, and I told the kids to tell me how to tie the shoelaces,” said Watson, an attorney at Ford & Harrison. “We put the instructions on the board.
“Then we tried to tie the shoe according to the directions. They said that wasn’t what they meant. And I said that’s what the law is; that’s what the lawmakers are trying to convey. What we’re doing is trying to interpret it.”
Watson has been volunteering for The Jacksonville Bar Association’s Law Week activities since 2000, when she first went to work at Schutt, Humphries,Schmidt & Burnett.
“Dennis (Schutt) was a great boss,” she said. “He was the best mentor you could have, and it was the best place to be. But when (Ford & Harrison) called, they offered me this position, and I couldn’t resist.”
Schutt, Humphries focuses on personal injury defense. Ford & Harrison, with about a dozen offices nationwide, handles labor and employment defense for employers.
“They represent all kinds of companies against discrimination suits and administrative charges,” she said. “They also do preventative work.”
Watson’s first job after graduating from Florida State University in 1993 with a degree in criminology was enforcing the law, not interpreting it. She was one of the youngest special agents in the State Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.
She worked all over Florida, doing “a lot of undercover stuff in bars.”
Most co-workers, she said, have trouble visualizing her with a sidearm strapped on. But she has the photographs to prove it.
“I wanted to be gangbusters,” she said. “I thought I could do it all. But, after two years, I realized it wasn’t going to work for the long haul.
“I thought, ‘I’m not going to make it 25 years, not at this rate,’ working on the weekends and all. And it was kind of dangerous.”
The Jacksonville native decided to enroll in the 1-year-old Florida Coastal School of Law “and make my life easier by becoming a lawyer.”
She was student bar president when the school became accredited, graduated, got married and had her first son, Jack, 12 days after taking The Florida Bar exam.
“I was a little busy,” Watson said.
She and her husband, John, also have a 15-month-old son, Nathan.
For two years, Watson gave Law Week talks at high schools.
“The students’ first question is, ‘How much do you make?’“ she said. “That’s always the first one. But it’s so rewarding in the end to be reminded of how much the future is in these kids. And they’re actually very smart.”
This year, Watson was the chair of the Law Week Committee. With so many activities on the schedule, something easily could have gone wrong. It didn’t, she said, “because I have the all-star committee.”
“Being the Law Week Committee chair is actually easier than being on the committee,” she added. “Some people wouldn’t think it is because, if something fell apart, you’re in trouble. But nothing fell apart. Everybody was great. And when that’s the case, it’s easy.”
JBA president Jim Moseley Jr. said he appreciated Watson’s hard work.
“Law Week this year has been such a success due to the hard work and leadership of Jennifer as well as the hard work of her committee,” said Moseley. “I was Law Week chair in 1992. I know what it’s like.
“I think she’s done a great job, and I hope she’s also had fun doing it.”
Watson said she has enjoyed the experience, but attributed Law Week’s success to someone else — Diane Gill, executive director of the JBA.
“You can’t do anything without Diane,” said Watson. “This bar association is a success because of her. We’ve had great leaders, but Diane has been around for a long time.
“If you didn’t have her helping you with these committees, you’d be dead in the water.”
With “all-star” committee members and Gill to guard against miscues, Watson said she was free to enjoy the experience:
“What’s so fun about Law Week to me is going out to the community in a nonthreatening fashion, not trying to raise money for anything, not trying to raise awareness for a particular charity, doing nothing but PR for lawyers and judges and the judicial system.
“And that’s always a good thing.”