International Women’s Day at Zachary W. Anderson Law: Tenacity, Resilience, and Voice
At Zachary W. Anderson Law, International Women’s Day matters because the work of equity, dignity, and advocacy is not abstract to us. We see it every day in the lives of our clients, in the communities we serve, and in the women who help make this firm what it is.
Family law, guardianship, estate planning, and advocacy work often intersect with some of the most vulnerable and defining moments in a person’s life. That is especially true for women and gender-marginalized people who are navigating systems that have not always made space for their full humanity, safety, or voice. Our commitment to International Women’s Day is rooted in that reality. We believe legal advocacy can be a powerful tool for empowerment, stability, and change. We also believe that honoring women means listening to them, supporting them, and making room for the lived experiences they bring into every space.
This year, members of our team reflected on a word that comes to mind when they think of International Women’s Day. Their answers were different, but the thread connecting them was clear: women keep showing up, speaking up, and moving forward.
Avary Byers, Student Social Work Intern
Word: Tenacity
Tenacity means being aggressively persistent in maintaining, adhering to, or seeking something valued or desired. It means enduring, especially when challenged.
I chose tenacity because International Women’s Day is about the tenacious pursuit of gender equality, celebrating the successes already achieved while inspiring the continued work still needed. Since the early 1900s, women have been active in calling for change. International Women’s Day itself grew out of that movement and became a way for women across countries to press for their demands and advocate for equality. Over time, March 8 became a day to recognize both progress and the ongoing, ever-changing work of gender justice.
Many people think first of large-scale historical movements like women’s suffrage, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Title IX. Those were vital steps, but the pursuit of equality is not over, and it is not limited to history books or national headlines. It also lives in the way communities support gender-marginalized people every day.
Legal support is one of the ways people are empowered, and that is part of what Zachary W. Anderson Law does. The firm’s commitment to advocacy, inclusion, and empowerment supports the tenacious pursuit of gender equality on a local level. Legal advocacy can lead to outcomes that uplift people and shape how they move through their communities.
As a social work intern at Zachary W. Anderson Law, I see how the firm does more than talk about these values. It takes action by providing holistic support to clients so that their legal needs are not treated in isolation. In my role, I help connect clients with resources beyond the law so they can meet their needs more fully and thrive. When clients thrive, our community is stronger, and we take another step toward equality.
Each step we take together matters. One step at a time, together, we can continue working toward gender equality. Happy International Women’s Day.
Jenn Burruss, Paralegal
Word: Resilience
Women have always been, and will always be, resilient. The ability to endure challenges, adapt, and keep moving forward even when life feels uncertain is in our DNA.
When I think of International Women’s Day, the word that comes to mind is resilience. To me, resilience is not just about enduring hardship. It is about finding strength, clarity, and hope even when the path forward feels uncertain. It is the quiet determination to keep moving, keep learning, and keep growing even when life feels challenging.
In legal work, resilience is essential for both our clients and our team. Many of the people who come through our doors are facing some of the hardest moments of their lives, divorce, custody disputes, domestic abuse, and major family transitions. In those moments, resilience helps people advocate for themselves, make decisions from clarity instead of fear, and imagine a future beyond the immediate pain. Working in family law has shown me firsthand how transformative that can be.
I have also experienced that personally. As a single woman co-parenting three incredible kids, I know how resilience can shape relationships and outcomes. Building a positive, cooperative relationship with my co-parent and his spouse was not easy. It took time, patience, and perspective. But it is possible. It reminds me that even in overwhelming situations, there can still be light ahead. Not every divorce, custody matter, or family dispute has to define the people involved in a negative way. Resilience can create room for growth, understanding, and hope.
As a child of a blended family and the proudest stepdaughter, I have always loved seeing families come together through adoption. I changed my name as a child so I could proudly stand next to my father and call him “Dad” without anyone questioning our relationship. The day I got to write “Canales” next to Jennifer on my school paper taught me that claiming your place in a family, and in life, can be deeply powerful and affirming.
A name is such an important part of identity. For many of our clients, reaching a point where they can proudly use the name that truly reflects who they are takes resilience. It is a hard-won milestone, a moment of embracing their true self and stepping fully into who they were always meant to be.
If there is one thing I hope clients remember, it is this: even when legal matters feel overwhelming or painful, resilience can carry you through. There is hope. There is possibility. And there is a path forward.
Carly Bingham, Bookkeeper & Assistant
Word: Voice
When I think of International Women’s Day, the word that comes to mind immediately is voice.
I feel especially connected to that word as an online content creator, someone who has spent years speaking openly and unapologetically about issues I care deeply about: the deconstruction of religion, patriarchy, feminism, parenthood, and politics. Depending on who you ask, I have been called cringey, loud, opinionated, bold, or insufferable. I wear those words proudly.
Having a voice, and being willing to use it, has been one of the most defining parts of who I am. In the legal field, voice matters enormously, and yet women remain underrepresented in law, business, politics, and so many other spaces where decisions are made. When women speak up about their experiences, especially in family law, it creates a path for others to find and use their own voices too.
Legal advocacy is, at its core, about being heard. A client who feels silenced cannot fully participate in her own case. That is why amplifying women’s voices, both in the courtroom and within a law firm, is not just a value. It is a practice.
Although my role at Zachary W. Anderson Law is in billing, my voice is part of what brought me here. It took courage to ask for this job, to articulate my strengths, and to advocate for myself as a single mother of four. I was not only the first hire at this firm, I was the first woman. That is not something I take lightly. This team understands my reality, supports my journey, and is intentionally building something rooted in equity.
Zachary W. Anderson Law has made it clear that diversity of thought and lived experience does not just belong at the table. It helps build the table.
This International Women’s Day, I want every woman who reads this to remember: your voice is not too much. Women are the past, the present, and the future. We hold up economies, communities, families, and movements. Our voices are needed in commerce, politics, religion, technology, and everywhere else decisions are being made.
If you are navigating a legal matter and feel unsure or unheard, please know this: there are people in this firm who will listen. You deserve to be heard, and we are here to help make that happen.
Nya Bryant, Paralegal
Word: Resilience
The word I chose is resilience.
I know it is a word we hear a lot, but in the context of what we do every day at Zachary W. Anderson Law, and in my own life, it means much more than a cliché. To me, resilience is not just about toughing it out. It is the quiet, steady strength it takes to keep moving forward when the world feels like it is pulling you backward. It is the ability to bend under pressure without breaking.
As a 26-year-old Black woman in today’s world, resilience is not really optional. It is a requirement. Navigating the world right now often means balancing expectations, pushing through stereotypes, and showing up with excellence even when the deck feels stacked against you. At this age, you are trying to build your career and find your voice in systems that do not always make room for you. Resilience is what allows me to claim that space. It is what helps turn doubt into motivation to work harder, show up more authentically, and keep going.
That same quality is vital in legal work. The field is often seen as logic and cold facts, but the reality is much more human. It is a marathon. Whether we are navigating a complex case or helping someone through a deeply personal crisis, the process is rarely fast and almost never easy. Resilience is what keeps us focused on the end goal when we hit a wall. It is what helps us keep advocating even when the system feels rigid. Without it, burnout comes quickly. With it, obstacles can become part of the roadmap toward a better result.
I see this quality in every woman who walks into our office. Our clients often come to us during some of the most stressful chapters of their lives. They are not just looking for legal advice. They are looking for a way through. I see resilience in the way they care for their families, manage work, and hold themselves together while facing legal battles that may change the course of their lives. They are not just surviving. They are showing up and making hard decisions for their future, often while exhausted.
That perspective matters in my work. It reminds me that sometimes just getting to the table is a victory in itself.
At Zachary W. Anderson Law, resilience is part of how we operate. We do not just handle files. We handle people’s lives. My work is about helping provide a foundation of support so our clients can stay steady when things feel complicated. We adapt. We keep going. And we work to make sure that when our clients show resilience, they are met with the advocacy, justice, and peace of mind they deserve.
Why This Matters to Our Firm
International Women’s Day is not just a date on the calendar. It is a reminder of what happens when women are supported, heard, protected, and empowered. It is also a reminder that progress happens in both big and small ways, through law, through advocacy, through community, and through everyday acts of courage.
At Zachary W. Anderson Law, we are proud to be a firm shaped by women whose insight, experience, and strength influence the way we serve our clients. We are proud to support people navigating some of the hardest seasons of their lives. And we are proud to do that work in a way that values voice, resilience, tenacity, and the whole person.
This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women on our team, the women we represent, and the women everywhere who continue to build better futures for themselves and for others.
Happy International Women’s Day.