Ozarks Profile: Venus Harry

Venus Harry

Associate attorney with William H. McDonald & Associates PC, a full-service law firm located at 300 S. Jefferson, Ste. 600. Formed in 1995 from the dissolution of Woolsey, Fisher, Whiteaker and McDonald, the firm's major area's of practice are antitrust, business, civil litigation, family law, product liability, bankruptcy, estate planning and real estate law. It has 11 attorneys and a total staff of 35. McDonald & Associates is an AV-rate law firm, which Harry said is the highest rating a law firm can receive. She has been with McDonald & Associates for two years, working initially as a law clerk until she passed her Missouri Bar Exam in 1998. Her practice includes civil and domestic cases, including guardianships, divorces and paternity cases. She is a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the American Bar Association, the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association, and a life member of the National Registry of Who's Who.

Age: 28.

No. of years in Springfield/area: Two years.

Education: Harry received her undergraduate education at Saint Louis University and received her law degree at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

Early career: Several odd jobs with service-oriented positions. She has worked in the past as a bank teller, and she worked as a teacher while she was in law school.

Current projects: She is working on building both her domestic and her civil practice.

Management philosophy: "Treat my staff with the respect they deserve."

Spare-time pursuits: In her spare time, Harry enjoys playing basketball and writing poetry. She also mentors college students who are considering law school and volunteers at The Kitchen. Harry is on the board of directors for the Victim Center.

Family data: "My parents and the majority of my family live in St. Louis. I have one older sister who is presently obtaining her master's degree in criminal justice," Harry said.