Michelle Pelletier
Founder, Veriflow Legal Solutions, PA

Law School & Year: University of Miami, JD 2009

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellempelletier/

What impact has being a member of the South Florida Women In-House Counsel Group had for you?
The South Florida Women In-House Counsel Group has provided me with incredible relationships over the years, through which I have received guidance and mentorship and, most importantly, found a community where I felt that I was understood and appreciated.

What is your current role, and can you describe a typical day in your position?
I specialize in commercial transactional law, with an emphasis on international law, and most of my experience has been in Latin America. I have also done quite a bit of corporate governance and regulatory work over the years, but drafting and negotiating contracts is what I enjoy most. My primary focus currently is working as fractional General Counsel for Karta, a fintech startup in the payments industry.

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the legal field?
Stay true to yourself, always. You’ll be pulled in a million different directions and asked to do things that make you uncomfortable, and your integrity should come first, even if it means saying no to a leader or someone in a position of authority.

What are some daily habits you’ve incorporated to stay focused, grounded, motivated and manage stress?
About five years into my career, when I realized I was spending all of my time working, I started practicing yoga, and it has been a really helpful way for me to manage stress for many years. I now teach yoga at various places and I love sharing the philosophy of yoga with others. I also play the violin in a local community orchestra, and I've found that yoga and music have provided a great creative balance to the analytical and intense thinking that being a lawyer requires.

Lucretia Pitts Barrett
In Transition, former General Counsel of Operations

Law School & Year: University of Miami School of Law, JD 2000

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lpittsbarrett

What impact has being a member of the South Florida Women In-House Counsel Group had for you?
SFWICHG has given me the chance to collaborate and connect with local in-house women, which has positively impacted my career. The organization is designed to foster personal connections and mutual support among its members. The events are well-planned, offering valuable opportunities for learning, networking, and building strong relationships. I truly believe this group will continue to grow and strengthen its presence in the Florida legal community.

What area(s) of law do you specialize in, and what drew you to this particular field?
I practice in insurance, litigation, legal operations and technology, and artificial intelligence. My career choice reflects a deliberate blend of law, strategic legal thinking, and innovation. With 21 years’ experience in insurance defense and litigation, I bring a broad background in fidelity, financial institution crime policies, surety, homeowners insurance, personal and commercial liability, errors and omissions, and directors and officers coverage. My commitment to legal operations and technology began with contributions to the early Florida EPortal Filing System and continued with enhancements to filing systems and workflow automation throughout my roles. In recent years, I have enjoyed advancing workflow automation through artificial intelligence and expanding my practice to include emerging AI laws and the development of internal governance policies.

What are some daily habits you’ve incorporated to stay focused, grounded, motivated and manage stress?
My daily habit to stay focused, grounded, motivated, and manage stress is my morning prayer where I thank God for the life that he has given me and pray that each day others can see His light in me. These prayers keep me focused on the real importance in life - family and community.

My second habit is an early morning review of my calendar and my To Dos for today and tomorrow. This knowledge provides me a smooth directive for each day. I closely follow my schedule, rescheduling tasks when critically necessary only.

What is your top 3 personal achievements that you are proud of?

1. Continuing my family's baking tradition, I learned to make my maternal grandmother's German chocolate cake to perfection, earning special praise from my uncle.
2. I went to law school to become an appellate attorney to argue the law for multiple judges at once. I had the privilege of arguing a case of first impression twice before the District Court and once before the Florida Supreme Court, resulting in a new interpretation of the resisting arrest with violence statute that protected undercover police officers.
3. Growing up on Chicago’s southside, I’m proud to have experienced different countries, cultures, and people during my travels. I’ve been blessed to study in the U.S., Japan, and Wales and visit England, France, the Netherlands, Central America, Canada, and many states in the U.S., including Alaska.