austinbar.org JULY/AUGUST 2016 | VOLUME 25, NUMBER 6
Austin Bar Interviews Incoming President Leslie Dippel
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eslie Dippel, Assistant Travis County Attorney, began her term as President of the Austin Bar Association on July 1, 2016.
my undergraduate degree in political science and Spanish at [then] Southwest Texas State University, and went to law school at the University of Houston Law Center.
AUSTIN BAR: In addition to your job as Assistant County Attorney, you are a wife and the mom of three kids (ages 17, 13, and 6). And now you’re the President of the Austin Bar Association. How do you manage to juggle all of those responsibilities?
AUSTIN BAR: Why did you want to become a lawyer?
DIPPEL: I get asked that question a lot. When people ask me how I do it all, I say, “Sometimes I can’t.” I am not a passive participant in anything. I’m on the PTA boards at all three of my children’s schools. Not only do I enjoy it, but it shows my kids that I am interested in what they are doing. It’s also how I find out what’s going on in their schools. It is important to me, so I prioritize it. I do everything I can, but I know that I can’t always do everything and be everywhere. Probably my biggest fear is disappointing someone by not doing something they were counting on me to do. I hope that does not happen. If I do make a mistake, it is important to me to apologize, fix it, and move on. AUSTIN BAR: Where did you go to school? DIPPEL: My husband and I are both hometown kids. We were born and raised in Austin. My family is from Killeen, Texas and I went to middle and high school there, so I sort of have two hometowns. I got
DIPPEL: I wish I had a beautiful story to answer that question. The truth is, I grew up in a family with several lawyers. One of my mentors was my dear uncle, Don Wood. He was an attorney for Locke Lord in Houston. I am sure having people I love and respect be involved in the law influenced me. I have always been interested in the law. I am a litigator and I love the writing aspect of that practice. It also captures my left-brain performance nature—I love the courtroom. What lawyer doesn’t love to talk? AUSTIN BAR: What was your first job out of law school? DIPPEL: I got married in law school. My husband moved to Houston with me on the express condition of moving back to Austin as soon as I graduated, which we did. In fact, we were literally packing moving boxes on graduation day! My first job after law school was with the Attorney General’s office in the Law Enforcement Defense Division. That’s where I met Judge Eric Shepperd. If you want to try cases, that is a great office. I was trying a case in federal court within 30 days of having my license. It was an incredible experience. My favor-
The Dippel family: (from left) David, Avery, Christopher, Joseph, and Leslie.
ite thing about it was, as a young lawyer, you have this idea of what you should sound like, look like, or act like in the courtroom. The gift the job in the Attorney General’s office gave me was I got to try on several different personas. I tried on being the “country” lawyer, the “serious” lawyer, and the stereotypical “whatever” lawyer. It taught me that none of those things are right. The best lawyer you can be is who you are. I am me: Leslie. I smile, I crack jokes, and I giggle sometimes. That is who I am. I know that won’t connect with everyone, but if I try to act like someone else, I won’t connect with anyone. Getting to litigate frequently as a young lawyer in the Attorney General’s office gave me an incredible maturity which I don’t think I would have gotten as quickly in private practice. After working for the Attorney
General’s office, I clerked for two federal magistrates—Judge Steve Capelle, who is now the First Assistant in the County Attorney’s Office, and Judge Andy Austin. Those are two men I admire greatly for their dedication to their families and their careers. Then I went into private practice at Hilgers & Watkins, which later merged with Brown McCarroll. That was a great experience, too. I loved the people I worked with and I had great mentors there who taught me the business side of the law. Baby Dippel number two joined our family a few years after I joined the firm. Judge Shepperd was the Director of Civil Litigation in the County Attorney’s office at the time. He called one day to tell me they had an opening, and the timing was right for my family. The rest, as they say, is history. continued on page 6