Vicki L. Sproat '78: A Career of "Firsts"
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| Vicki L. Sproat |
When Vicki L. Sproat ‘78 started practicing law in Fort Myers, Florida in 1980, there were only a handful of female civil trial attorneys in her county and none in adjacent, rural Hendry County. One of Vicki’s first court appearances was in front of the Hendry County judge. As Vicki tells it, the hearing was held in his office instead of the courtroom. He favored bib overalls over black robes. His cowboy boots were propped on his desk through the whole hearing. At the conclusion of the argument he ruled in favor of Vicki’s client. Nodding his head at the opposing attorney from Miami, he drawled, “After all, we wouldn't want this pretty little lady to cry, would we?”
Experiences such as this were not unusual during Vicki’s first few years in practice. However, it was a far cry from her days as a law student at OSU. In 1975, Vicki was one of few women entering law school. Yet she says, “It was kind of fun being part of a new wave of women entering law school at that time.” She felt very welcomed and included by her classmates and the professors. One of those professors, Bill Knepper, became a mentor to Vicki. She was inspired by the trial practice course Bill taught as an adjunct professor, and she continued to seek his advice after graduation.
Although women have been graduating from the law school since 1903, Vicki was among the first wave of women to graduate in significant numbers. Vicki was the first woman hired by Henderson Franklin Stornes & Holt. She worked her way up to becoming the first female partner and stockholder of the firm, and she is board certified in civil trial law. Vicki focuses primarily on general civil litigation, and the defense of employers in all aspects of employment law, including harassment and discrimination.
Vicki’s husband, Donald Pellecchia, is a circuit judge in Charlotte County, Florida. When the two met on a blind date, he was state attorney. The couple’s two children, Lauren and Christopher, are in high school now. Vicki also has two stepchildren and is a proud grandmother of four. Naturally, in a family with two legal professionals and two high-schoolers, balancing the demands of work and family requires a support system. Vicki feels fortunate that she can rely on the extremely strong support of her friends and family. “The balancing act is a challenge for anyone, traditionally more so for women. You have to stay flexible, try to keep your sense of humor, and surround yourself with friends and family,” Vicki says.
In addition to spending time with her family, Vicki truly loves her work. “I really enjoy the problem-solving and counseling that comes from representing employers. It’s fulfilling for me to help them through the process of making good business decisions and complying with the ever-increasing regulations in the workplace.”
Vicki also appreciates the fact that she’s had opportunities to get involved in community service. She is an executive committee member of United Way of Lee County, the secretary and board member of the Foster Care Council of Southwest Florida, and a member of the advisory council for Visually Impaired Persons of Southwest Florida. She has served as an adjunct professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, teaching courses on employment law and regulations. The best part about being a part of these organizations, Vicki says, is meeting a variety of interesting people and being able to give back to the community.
Vicki occasionally thinks back to the Hendry County judge, wearing his
bib overalls and cowboy boots. She takes a great deal of pride in the
fact that “this pretty little lady” went on to forge a new
path for women at her firm.
