Q & A with Carrie Ward
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Q&A
Q & A with Carrie Ward
A partner with Earp Cohn, P.C. in Cherry Hill, N.J., Carrie Ward has 20 years of experience in business law with a particular focus on entertainment, communications, and media law. Her clients range from media group owners, small broadcasters and podcasters, actors, filmmakers, musicians, and start-up entrepreneurs.
She works with her clients on the day-to-day operations of their business from protecting intellectual property, reviewing and drafting all types of contracts including vendor and employment agreements, and reviewing advertising content for regulatory compliance. Ward also is a leader in promotions and advertising law and in the burgeoning field of cannabis law. A graduate of Rutgers School of Law, she resides in New Jersey with her husband and two sons.
Q: Before becoming an attorney, what was your first job?
A: My first job was a bus girl at a Greek diner near the Jersey Shore when I was 15. I got to ride my bike there and I had a blast. This first job served me well because I was a server and a bartender at Houlihan’s in Washington, D.C. while I attended college at American University.
Q: What motivated you to pursue a legal career?
A: The American legal system always fascinated me since I was a young kid. I also had a strong desire to be an advocate. My mom would probably tell you that I was always crafting arguments since I could talk. Pursuing a legal career seemed like a natural choice given my interests and talents.
Carrie Ward with her husband, Damian, and their two young sons, Bobby and Grayson, dress as Pirates at Disney
Q: Who was your chief mentor and how did he or she influence your career?
A: My chief mentor was Dvora Rabino at ABC Networks. I was Dvora’s paralegal, and she was a brilliant attorney and treated her staff with respect and decency. Dvora is a mom of two children and seemed to navigate both of her roles as chief counsel and mom with grace. Dvora influenced me to attend law school and to continue pursuing a career in media and entertainment law.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
A: The best piece of advice that I received is that there are very few things that you cannot fix. When I was a young attorney, I was in constant fear of “screwing up” and then ending my career completely. There are very few things that are irreversible, and it will always serve you to ask for help.
Q: What is one thing you would like to learn to do?
A: I would love to learn how to play the guitar. I like to sing, and I think this is something that would bring me joy.
Carrie Ward discovered her love of travel as a young child during a family vacation that included stops at Old Faithful, Bryce Canyon, Utah, and the Four Corners, where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah meet.
Q: What is your proudest career achievement?
A: I was the author of an FCC Petition for Rulemaking that modernized the FCC’s contest rules to allow radio and TV broadcasters to post their contest rules on their websites instead of announcing them on the air.
Q: What other career path might you have chosen?
A: I am creative and I can see myself working in advertising, film, or television and creating advertising and programming content.
Carrie Ward
Q: What is your most treasured material possession?
A: I took a cross country road trip with my grandparents when I was 10 and my grandmother forced me to write in a journal every night to document my trip. Writing in this journal was a dreaded task, but I am so glad that my grandmother stuck to her guns and made me do this. My grandmother compiled my journal entries with corresponding photographs to match up to my journal entries. Now, I have this great book to remember this great memory and to share with my children.
Q: What is your happiest childhood memory?
A: Per the above comment, I really adored the road trip that I took with my grandparents. We started our travels in New Jersey and headed south down the east coast and then headed west. We were in San Francisco on my 10th birthday. We headed back to the East Coast via the Northwest and Midwest. We explored the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Mount Rushmore.
Q: What is the most awe-inspiring place you have visited?
A: Hawaii. The beaches are beautiful, and the scenery exceeded all expectations.
Q: What are your favorite leisure time pursuits?
A: I love walking and listening to a good podcast or audiobook. I also like a good Netflix binge. I am so sad that “Ozark” is over!
Q: What is your favorite famous or inspirational quote?
A: “You are afraid of surrender because you don’t want to lose control, but you never had control, all you had was anxiety.” – Liz Gilbert
Q: Who is on your guest list for the ideal dinner party?
A: Brene Brown, Hilary Clinton, Glennon Doyle, Conan O’Brien, and Will Arnett.
Q: What are the top three items on your bucket list?
A: Take an Alaskan cruise. Write a book. Learn to play guitar.
