A veteran lawyer with extensive courtroom experience, Elizabeth is a litigator in Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman’s Maui office. Her practice focuses on obtaining justice for individuals impacted by the Maui fires. A Lahaina resident who evacuated and lost her home during the August 8 fires, Beth brings first-hand perspective of the challenges facing victims. In addition, her practice focuses litigation related to asbestos exposure and exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup pesticide. She also represents victims of child sexual abuse.
Before joining the firm, Elizabeth served more than 10 years as a deputy prosecutor in Hawaii and California, where she handled a wide variety of criminal jury trials to verdict. Elizabeth earned her law degree from California Western School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Here’s what Elizabeth had to say during our Women’s History Month Women In Law Roundtable Q&A.
Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman: Where do you think we are in terms of gender equality in the legal profession? How do you see the field growing and changing in the future, not just for women attorneys but all lawyers?
Elizabeth Nardi: Out of 115 US Supreme Court justices, only six have been women. Four of those 6 currently serve on the Court. The statistic speaks for itself as to how women are viewed in the legal profession. Women have slowly chipped away at the divide through persistence and successful advocacy. While progress has been made, women are still underestimated and have to work harder than their male counterparts.
Unfortunately, the current political climate appears to be moving women in the wrong direction. The president’s recent revocation of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 sends a clear message that gender equality in the workplace is no longer valued.
GDW: What personality characteristics or skills do you possess that you believe enabled your career to flourish?
EN: As a female in this profession, you will always have to work a little bit harder than male counterparts. The characteristics associated with being a lawyer conflict with traditional norms associated with women – lawyers are aggressive, competitive and supposed to be unemotional. As a woman in the legal profession, you may have to modify your delivery in court so you come across strong, but not catty. Empathetic, but not too emotional. It can be a very difficult balance but women are more intuitive and adaptable than we get credit for.
For me, I believe my passion, empathy, and relatability have helped me excel in this profession. I have never tried to be anything other than myself. Authenticity is essential, especially when you are trying to persuade a jury to vote your way. It has also been a strength through the years working as a prosecutor and now working with victims on the civil side. I never want to seem unapproachable or inaccessible to anyone, no matter what their background or life experience might be. Connecting with people is so important in this line of work.
GDW: Many issues that our firm tackles – like helping talc-exposure victims and survivors of birth defects and sex abuse – have unique implications for women. How important is the legal field to ensuring fair treatment for women and protecting their rights? Why is it important to have female attorneys involved in this litigation?
EN: Women offer unique perspectives and experiences that men do not possess. For example, a little girl may not feel comfortable speaking about being sexually assaulted by an uncle to an older male, who may remind her of the person who assaulted her. A male is not going to understand what it is like to be a female getting into an Uber late at night by herself, wondering if getting into the car with a stranger is the biggest mistake of her life.
When it comes to birth injury litigation, it is undeniable that female attorneys – especially those who are mothers themselves – can connect and empathize with female clients who experienced birth injury.
GDW: Is there a practice area you focus on that particularly affects women? Why is it important to you? What positive impacts have you been able to make through your work?
EN: I handled sexual assault cases for many years as a prosecutor and they are by far the most challenging. Generally speaking, the victims are predominantly female and the perpetrators are predominantly male. Often, these victims are children who have been silenced by their parents or other family members, their school personnel, their coaches, and on and on. It can take years – even decades – for child sex abuse victims to disclose what happened to them. It is incredibly painful to relive and then be subjected to a society that does not begin by believing the victim. Instead, sexual assault victims can be seen as liars and opportunists. They are subjected to grueling scrutiny during the litigation process and it is so important for these victims to have an attorney who believes in their client, advocates for their client, and shields them as much as possible from the often demeaning tactics of opposing counsel.
GDW: What is one piece of advice you’ve received that you would pass on to law students and lawyers? Women law students and lawyers?
EN: I would tell young female attorneys or law students that you have to really want to be a part of this profession. By its very nature, practicing as an attorney is adversarial. You have to fight for your clients. You have to fight opposing counsel. You have to fight judges to see the law as it truly is written. Nothing is easy and it is not for the faint of heart. As a female in this profession, you are going to have to fight even harder to advocate for yourself whether within your firm or in court.
That being said, if you are up for the challenge and willing to learn every day, to act in the best interest of your clients, to lead through words, actions and accomplishments, it can be the most dynamic, interesting and rewarding career of your life.
Check out our Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman Virtual Roundtable Q&A: Women In Law for more interviews with our attorneys.
