Elmhurst resident Karen Enright honored as top attorney by peers

ELMHURST — Elmhurst resident Karen McNulty Enright was recently named to two elite groups of female attorneys in Illinois.

Leading Lawyers Network named Enright as a "Top Ten Women in Personal Injury," following a survey of attorneys asking them which of their peers they would recommend to a family member or friend. Enright was also included by Super Lawyers as one of the top 50 women attorneys in Illinois.

Enright is a mother of three in Elmhurst and practices personal injury and medical malpractice at McNabola Law Group in Chicago.

When did you know you wanted to go into law? Was there a specific person or experience that was the impetus?
When I was in grade school at St. John of the Cross in Western Springs, I was fortunate enough to go on a family trip to Washington, D.C. We toured the capital and met politicians, but it was after watching two attorneys on the Senate floor present their arguments that I realized I wanted to be just like them. I held onto their every word and after that trip, I vowed to become the first attorney in my entire immediate and extended family.

What is the most gratifying aspect of your profession?
As a personal injury attorney, clients come to me in the midst of the most tragic moments in their lives. I understand that I will never be able to make them feel whole again, but I believe the best way to offer them hope is by fully dedicating myself to their case. The ability to restore a sense of normalcy back into these people's lives is what drives me each day.

What advice would you have for prospective law school students out there?
My advice for prospective law school students is to do your research. Talk to as many people in the legal field about their experiences and try to imagine yourself in their shoes. If you think their lifestyle and day-to-day activities would be a good fit for your personality and interests, then I strongly encourage going to law school. I grew so much as a person during those three years, and the invaluable knowledge and experiences that The John Marshall Law School provided me truly have shaped the person who I am today.

How has your specific field of law changed since you started?
Since I have started practice law, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of female lawyers practicing medical malpractice and personal injury law. The work is still laborious regardless of gender, but as United States Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor said at a recent luncheon I attended with her, "… the thought that at every moment of your day you could feel equally fulfilled… it's ridiculous. What you can do is find balance in your life, and satisfy that balance in light of what your personal desires, personal needs are, and what the needs of those that you love are." I agree with Justice Sotomayor that balance is extremely difficult to achieve, but all we can hope that we try our best in every aspect of our lives.

How has being a mother of three boys changed the way you approach your profession?
As a mother, I empathize more intimately with clients who lost a child during childbirth or whose child was injured or killed in an accident. What these parents go through is heartbreaking and it is only an honor to represent them as an attorney and as a fellow parent. Relating to clients and jurors is half the battle. They believe in you to find the answers to their questions and ultimately give them hope.