This edition of Attorney Spotlight highlights one of my revered Philadelphia colleagues in Blank Rome’s Matrimonial & Family Law group—Mary T. Vidas.
A graduate of Georgetown University and the Temple University Beasley School of Law, Mary has been practicing law for 40 years and is a preeminent member of our firm’s Matrimonial & Family Law practice group. Mary began her career at Blank Rome as a Litigation Law Clerk working in matrimonial as well as asbestos litigation and personal injury law. After a time of splitting her work across these different practices, Mary eventually transitioned completely to matrimonial and family law, having taken to it well, and has enjoyed working with her clients throughout her storied career as a lawyer. During her career, Mary has served inter alia, as Chair of the American Bar Association’s Section of Family Law as well as presently serving as Chair of the ABA Family Law Section’s Strategic Planning Committee. She is currently the Family Law Section Delegate to the ABA House of Delegates. She has also been a frequent lecturer for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the Academy of Matrimonial Law, the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association, and the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs. Mary has also worked with the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Judicial Commission leading investigations into judicial candidates and was recently honored as the Bar Association’s “Bar Star” for her work in this regard. Mary truly is a “Bar Star.”
Mary’s personality takes well to matrimonial law as she is a good listener who is always eager and willing to help others. Often at difficult times in their lives, clients will come to Mary experiencing a vast array of emotions, and she has seen and heard enough stories and backgrounds to know how to handle any situation. Always working with a level heart and mind, Mary’s mantra is, “tell clients what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.” Mary believes this manner of guidance is essential to leading any client to a positive outcome and helping them be more able to move on with their lives.
If any client is distraught and going through emotional pain, Mary encourages the process of seeing a therapist and getting the proper help that is needed. A good lawyer must be an exceptional advocate when representing their clients, and must not be a cheerleader for emotional feelings or inclinations of being on the warpath. Nevertheless, a good lawyer must also understand the emotional journey a client may be going through, and be willing to take the initiative to suggest proper guidance and help.
A lawyer exists to provide guidance, and encouraging a client to visit a therapist can oftentimes be the best suggestion to provide under the circumstances. Talking about one’s feelings with a professional is a far better path to recovery than not speaking of them at all, or allowing one’s negative feelings to get the better of them. There is no question that therapy should be a welcome option should anyone be in need of it.
Outside of her practice of law, Mary enjoys reading, traveling, and being a devout Philadelphia sports fan. She avidly enjoys watching her Philadelphia Eagles, Sixers, and Phillies. Mary will soon have the pleasure of traveling to London, England, to see the Phillies face the New York Mets in the 2024 MLB London Series this summer. Mary is and will always remain Philly proud.