Meleah Marie Skillern
Have you ever met anyone whose laugh is so infectious—it not only makes you laugh, but the mere image and sound of it gets burned in your memory forever? That’s my friend Meleah. It’s weird trying to recall how we first met, cause it truly just feels like she’s always been in my life. We met either at the end of our freshman year at college—OU Oh Yeah, or perhaps fall quarter sophomore year. I remember chilling together at our friend’s dorm on West Green, cracking jokes and eating snacks. We got super close though when I joined our Honors Fraternity, and through our mutual love for the now cancelled ABC Family show Greek, and its been smiles and laughs ever since. I’ve watched her knock out every goal she’s had thus far, from law school to marriage. She’s literally one of my favorite people in the whole entire world, because she’s just so driven, conscientious, and funny as hell.
Today she’s an Associate at the law firm Lewis Brisbois, acting as a member of their Complex Business and Commercial Litigation Practice. She sits on the board of the Canton Museum of Art, and was awarded the Stark County Contemporary Trailblazer Award in 2019. Even though she’s Mrs. Fancy Pants, she’ll always be the girl next door. No matter how accomplished she gets, she prefers to stay right in her hometown of Canton, Ohio. She pours into the community she came from, elevating herself so she can elevate those around her. She mentors students on the practice of law, always remembering what she went through in order to pass the baton to those coming up behind her. Meleah is the kind of person you’d want on your team. She encourages her friends like no other, and will listen to them vent over just about anything. I’m lucky to have her in my forever tribe, here’s a piece of why I love her.
1.) What inspires you to do what you do professionally?
I think I’m inspired by my family in general, to do something that matters, and to do something that’s impactful and bigger than myself.
2.) What person has had the biggest influence on your life and why?
My dad, because he speaks into me. I’ve always been able to go to him for motivation, inspiration, or even just a laugh
3.) How do you practice balance in your life?
Until recently it’s been the fact that I keep work away from home. Who I am professionally usually cuts of when I come home, and I enjoy my space at home with my husband. I’ve practiced being able to turn off work. Everything else in my life, I just try to do whatever I’m doing at 100% while I’m doing it. We all wear so many hats in our lives and I just try to be present with whatever I’m doing. But I try not to think of it as balance because I feel like I’m never completely balanced, and I tend to get on myself if I let any balls drop.
4.) How do you use your inherited gifts, platform, or particular privilege to give back?
Professionally I speak to a lot of students who hope to enter the legal profession, and I connect with individuals that look like me (black women) in order to be a resource for those who otherwise wouldn’t have that resource. I also try to take on cases that aren’t particularly in my area, free of charge because it’s something of value for someone who needs legal representation or an advocate.
5.) What person living or dead would you like to sit down for a meal with?
I actually would probably sit down with Michelle Obama—which everyone wants to! But it’s so true because she comes from a world that’s completely different from the one she currently resides in. Her story from childhood to Ivy League schools—she’s just the epitome of what it looks like to be a black girl of humble beginnings—and that’s independent of being Barack’s wife. I just respect her a lot, and I believe that even one conversation with her would be a transformative experience.
6.) What’s your ideal cocktail, wine, or drink?
Titos, club soda, and two limes.
7.) What’s your biggest vice?
Probably cursing... (When asked what her fav curse word was she said F*ck)
8.) Name one thing you’d like to be kinder to yourself about?
I wish I could be less hard on myself. I try to accomplish too much during any given day, and instead of being happy I did the things that I did do, I go in on myself—like wow you can’t even hold yourself accountable for one day. It sounds limiting to maybe say I have too high of expectations, but I wish I could have more realistic expectations—to save myself the headache. I think during this COVID experience I have been kinder to myself because I feel like I have more time to understand why I feel the need to do all of things on a list.
9.) What’s your biggest insecurity?
The time I feel most insecure is when I’m in a situation where I feel like I don’t have the social capital of the people around me. If I’m in a room with a bunch of people who come from a different world than I do—and I think because of the career I choose I find myself in that position more often than most, I find that when it comes to small talk if it’s a group of middle aged white men or women –I’m not a part of the conversation anymore because I can’t connect to much of what you’re talking about. And sometimes that rolls into business development and client satisfaction which is why its important to have clients you can connect with.
10.) What outstanding goal do you have that you’ve yet to accomplish?
Professionally my goal is to make Partner, and I think personally it would be to own property. So whether the house that I live in, or property that I rent out, or land that own—I’d like that.