Provisional Spotlight: Katie Clarke McDiarmid

“Being a first-year lawyer comes with its fair share of challenges. Working remotely added an extra layer of challenges.”

by Anna-Bryce Hobson

2020 proved to be a year unlike any other. As the novel coronavirus spread around the world, businesses shut down and people cancelled many social gatherings and well-laid plans. Katie Clarke McDiarmid, a Florida native who recently moved to Charlotte, had no idea what her first year in Charlotte had in store.

About Katie

Katie graduated from Florida State University in 2014 and then relocated to Greensboro, North Carolina to work as a ninth-grade math teacher through Teach for America. She ultimately decided to attend law school and graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2019. Katie joined the business litigation and government investigations practice groups at Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP. Katie and her husband, Gordon, enjoy supporting the local Charlotte sports teams and trying out new restaurants in town.

On Joining the Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) During a Pandemic

Katie wanted to join the Junior League of Charlotte because she is passionate about serving school-aged children and giving back to Charlotte schools. Recognizing the need for growth and change in schools in Mecklenburg County, Katie prioritized finding an outlet where she could couple her love for education-centric volunteerism with her desire to join a local organization of like-minded women. The JLC was a natural fit for her. But like most everything else in 2020, her Provisional year has also been less than normal. Katie looks forward to eventually getting to meet her fellow small-group members in person and getting hands-on volunteer hours in the community.

On Working From Home

Six months after starting her legal career in Charlotte, Katie’s firm, along with most others in the community, temporarily shifted its attorneys to a remote-working environment. Being a first-year lawyer comes with its fair share of challenges. Working remotely added an extra layer of challenges because there were no opportunities for the day-to-day guidance from senior attorneys that an office environment naturally promotes. Katie noted the difficult, yet rewarding experiences she had figuring out some of the nuances of the practice of law from her desk at home. She attended virtual hearings and learned the importance of managing the cases of the partners for whom she works like they are her own. Now that she is back in the office part-time, she has a new appreciation for her conversations in the hallways with mentors and senior counterparts. cont. >

On Getting Married in 2020

Katie is one of the many 2020 brides whose wedding plans got turned upside down by the coronavirus. Katie and her husband, Gordon, got married in an intimate ceremony on April 25, 2020 surrounded by their families. When asked about her wedding day, Katie remarked that it was completely different than imagined, but exactly the way it was supposed to be. We could hear the joy in her voice as she talked about her brother and sister-in-law’s surprise visit to Charlotte for the nuptials, how lucky she was to marry into a family of wedding photographers, and the funfilled reception hosted in her parents’ backyard. Katie spoke of the “acts of love” that made the day more special than she could have ever imagined. It was those acts that underscored the importance of the day and the true reason for the celebration – her relationship with Gordon. The only thing that would have made it better? The couple taking their now postponed honeymoon to Italy!