I comments she didn't like.
gas station/' says Lamar.
I've been known to throw a file or two," says Lamar.
After graduating from law school Donna
'Well yes, but not very
went out on her
own to see what it was like to be a small town practitioner as
Lamar had done.
When Pettus, Johnson & Gibson broke up, Donna joined Lamar in
forming the Pettus Law Firm. The firm now employs two
other lawyers, Lisa Thome--Corke and Don Wilson. When asked who is the senior partner, there is no hesitation, "I will always consider it
"Lamar is the
often anymore. f think we've
trial lawyer,
gotten past a lot of that as
outgoing, one-on-one, person-to-person lawyer. I p~efer research, wrtttng, developing a case, "says Donna.
Lamar's firm. He established it, and, if it weren't for him it wouldn't be the firm that it is." Making the transition from mother to mother Ilawyer has not always been easy
for Donna. She has been the primary
we've matured, both professionally and in our marriage," says Donna. The two work well together when it comes to
most cases the firm handles. Lamar is known for taking on controversial cases, but only the ones in which he believes. "Lamar is the trial lawyer, outgoing, one-onone, person to person lawyer. I prefer research
and writing, developing a case," says Donna.
Often Donna will do the research for Lamar, and he will take it into court. And he wins - a lot. One gets the feeling listening to his "war stories" that once you hire Lamar Pettus, once he believes in your case, he's like a
and be part of the b<xIy helping Lamar make the changes he wants to happen," says Donna. Changes Lamar wants. This usually
begins the section of the article where the new President presents his lofty goals of totally revising the judicial system or the
legislature or tackling the image of lawyers on a national basis. A very shrewd Lamar Pettus doesn't have big,
lofty goals. He has very detailed steps toward the future, not just for his year but for the Association and Arkansas lawyers for years to come. Pettus is different from past Presidents I've interviewed. They have all been very intelligent, well-spoken men, but they are and have always been
lawyers. Pettus is not only a lawyer, but as stated earlier, a very savvy businessman. His forays into the business world have included not only the gas
station, but building up and managing extensive real estate investments. He has been a property manager, a buyer and seller of properties, a maintenance man
and a landlord. Because of this experience, he has an insight into the "business" aspect of the Bar Association
working at least an 8 hour day.
dog with a bone - he's not going to stop fighting until its done. Donna has been equally successful, putting together some
"Lamar and I share some of the responsibilities, but the children will
carefully researched and documented cases. And, though her main
groundwork laid for furthering the predecessors, but now it's time to take a
caretaker of their three children while
always be my first priority. It's easier
job has been raising her
since Lamar made the downstairs of our
children and
office building an apartment for the kids. I would pick them up from school and bring them to the office, and they would
supporting Lamar's efforts, she has begun
do their homework or watch TV
well. As ofthis
basketball outside where Lamar put up a
writing, Donna Pettus is one of the new members
during the interview to remind his
mother to tell me he was the good looking one with all the babes - obviously takes after the old man. The Pettuses believe they
"Through seeing Lamar's
complement each other to make the firm work. 'There are always problems with spouses working together. I'm sure employees in our office have heard Donna slam doors when J've made
look at the Association itself the business.
of the Arkansas Bar Association House of Delegates from her district.
senior at Fayetteville High School, and Chase, the fourteen year old who called
profession by John Gill and his
to come into her own in the profession, as
downstairs, and sometimes play net for them," says Donna. "It's better now that the kids are older." The children are Lamar Jr., now a senior at the Air Force Academy; Carrie, a
that others haven't had - and he's going to use it. Pettus says we've had good
work with
the Association, I've
...
-::!:::::~"",,::::::::::: ~r....r;;;;~
come to see the benefits of working with the Bar, seeing how you can make a
difference. I wanted to be a part of that