Some children grow up knowing exactly what they want to be. A doctor or a lawyer, teacher or nurse, the stage is set in their minds early on and they spend their lives acting out those scenes. A career path did not come so easily to Mary Neil Price. As an undergraduate at Tulane University, Mary Neil thought she wanted to go into elementary education, but the head of the department talked her out of it and suggested she pursue law school. She stayed in New Orleans to complete her JD which she received from Tulane University School of Law in 1985. She then moved to Nashville and became an associate at the firm Dearborn & Ewing where she was elevated to partner in 1992. Mary Neil then joined First American National Bank in 1992, working her way up to General Counsel and Corporate Secretary and heading up the legal and compliance departments. Her practice encompasses general corporate and regulatory work as well as bank mergers and acquisitions. She is also experienced in various other industries, such as manufacturing and healthcare, as well as in the areas of forming financial/non-financial commercial businesses and certification of WBE and DBE enterprises. When asked what makes her practice different from others, she proudly admits it’s her approach to servicing her clients. She is never off – her clients can always reach her. She makes it a point to always be responsive and to answer the phone and reply to all emails.
Building a law practice requires patience and a long-term commitment. Over the years, Mary Neil has learned that tenacity is an important key to success. Her advice to others is to keep putting one foot in front of the other; be willing to make mistakes; don’t take yourself too seriously and remember that there is such a thing as trying too hard. She also points out that business is often cyclical, especially in the service industry. She encourages others to use slow periods for professional development, and advises women entrepreneurs to get to know as many people as they can.
A little known fact about Mary Neil – she is a contemporary art lover and she, herself, enjoys painting in oils. When you shake her hand, she may have a little glue on her fingers left over from a mosaic piece she is currently creating for her backyard. She is not a big fan of business books, preferring historical novels, mysteries and biographies from the public library.
Most of her non-working time is spent raising two teen-age daughters. She also manages to find time to give back to the community through the Tennessee Repertory Theater, TPAC, the Center for Nonprofit Management, Habitat for Humanity, and the Martha O’Bryan Center.
Connect with Mary Neil Price
McKenzie Laird, PLLC
Email: mprice@mckenzielaird.com
Website: McKenzieLaird.com