By Michelle Leigh Smith Citizen Staff Reprinted by permission

A rustic wood alligator awaits passerbys outside Sherry Tavel's law office with a simple warning: Lady Litigator. In the beginning it was more difficult for Tavel because in the early 80's, it was still hard to get into law school as a woman. Tavel's law school class was one of the first at South Texas College of Law in which the admissions office began to make the classes 50-50, male and female. "It took a while for the male instructors to adjust," Tavel recalled. "When I went to law school, I told my parents I wanted to be a judge," Tavel said. ""Law has always fascinated me and I thought being a judge would be the best way to make a difference." She was nominated by Pasadena Mayor Johnny Isbell and approved this week as the city's first woman associate judge for the Municipal Court. "This is a good step for me," Tavel said. "I'm not sure I want to give up my full-time practice. I am excited to work in Mayor Isbell's administration because he has done some amazing things for the city. "I teach part-time at San Jacinto College," she said. "I enjoy communicating with young people. I know how much San Jacinto College influenced my education and I want to try to give back." She is a favorite among business law and real estate law students. Her classes are among the most crowded and she receives many calls before registration from students wanting to know which nights she will teach. She said her father, D.C.Trainer, had been a big influence. She is the eldest of four children of Trainer and Shirley Massengill. "Dad's always been very involved and has always taught us to give back to the community." Tavel is board certified in residential real estate law. "I have a family law practice as well as wills and probate and some bankruptcy work." she said. She is the mother of two children, Dennis M. Slate who just graduated from Texas A&M, and a daughter Shelly Slate, is 21 and attends San Jacinto College, majoring in nursing. "I have a compassion for children who have been molested," Tavel said. "We have our share of those here, as in any community. They are hard cases to try, very emotional, heart-wrenching." "I think my background and going through a divorce has helped me be able to counsel clients and help them through the transition and gamut of emotions. I believe that experience has given me a rich skill set to pull from in counseling people through the emotions and the life changes during divorce," Tavel said. "Working as an attorney is like putting puzzles together and working things out," Tavel said. "I like working things out. I like negotiating and I like having my own hours and being my own boss. Despite the fact that there are a lot of lawyer jokes, I like the respect in the community." When Tavel and colleague went to the exhibit hall at the State Bar Convention, people, thinking we were legal assistants, would ask, "And what lawyer do you work for?"... Excuse me, I am the lawyer." She is a member of the Association of Woman Attorneys, is a board member of the Pasadena Bar Association and Pasadena Aggie Moms. "We have a wonderful Pasadena Bar Association," Tavel said. "The downtown lawyers make fun of us. They have never been around the warmth of the people here. I think Pasadena is a great place to live." Born and raised in Pasadena, Tavel is a 1971 graduate of Pasadena High School. Sherry has an associates degree from San Jacinto College and a bachelors degree from UH-Clear Lake in jurisprudence. She is the founder of the UH-Clear Lake Legal Studies Associates, the second largest organization on campus. Tavel graduated from South Texas College of Law in 1987 and opened her office in Deer Park in 1989. She married Robert Tavel, a former Deer Park city councilman, 15 years ago. She began her legal career as a legal receptionist and was quickly promoted to legal secretary. After receiving a legal studies degree at UH-CL, she became a legal assistant at Vinson & Elkins law firm, the Rolls Royce of downtown Houston firms. "I believe my business has grown as Pasadena has grown," she said. "It has helped to have such deep roots in the community."

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