ANNOUNCING THE WOMAN OF THE MONTH

Meet April’s Fort Worth Woman! In the expansive tapestry of Fort Worth’s community, Anna Summersett weaves her own distinctive pattern. Her journey is a profound narrative of personal empowerment, professional excellence, and the relentless pursuit of justice.

Born into the simplicity of Gilmer, Texas, Anna’s early life was framed by the kind of childhood that novels are made of. Her days spent mostly in Texas, but also some in Arkansas and Florida, were filled with the kind of unbridled freedom that fosters a deep sense of independence. This early independence, nurtured under East Texas sunsets, became the bedrock of her character—a spirit resilient and fierce, dreaming beyond the horizons of small-town life.

Her journey into the realms of debate during high school, inspired by a mother’s jest about her argumentative skills, was more than an extracurricular pursuit; it was a gateway to her future. Here, amidst arguments and counterarguments, Anna found her calling. Her path led her to Baylor University, where the seeds of political science and argumentation rhetoric were sown, blossoming into a career that was as much about passion as it was about vocation.

It was during a fateful visit to what was then Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, that Anna’s heart found its home in Fort Worth. Anna describes further, “As a member of the Baylor Debate Team, I had my career path pretty well decided and graduated early to go ahead and get after it. I visited what was then Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, now Texas A&M University School of Law, on the weekend of the Main Street Arts Festival. I fell in love with Fort Worth that weekend and chose this place to be my forever home. It’s been an adventurous love affair ever since.” Here was a place that promised adventure, a place where she could plant her roots and watch them grow.

As a typical middle child, Anna’s personal life is a testament to the serendipitous beauty of life’s journey along with a side of competitive adaptability. Meeting her husband in the professional corridors of the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, where both started their careers, was a twist of fate that set the stage for a partnership grounded in mutual respect, shared values, and a common goal. Anna states, “I met my husband interviewing for a job at the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, a job which he ended up getting. Thankfully, a second position opened soon after and we started within a week of each other. I have this vivid memory seeing him walking to work on my first day, I screamed at him and waved with both arms. I am so confident I looked ridiculous, just grateful to see a familiar face as I entered uncharted territory. Thankfully he was not deterred.” Together, they navigate the complexities of life, balancing the joys and challenges of raising three spirited boys with the demands of both of their careers.

Anna’s professional trajectory is a narrative of resilience and dedication. Motivated by a personal encounter with crime, her journey into law was driven by a desire to make a tangible difference. She bravely details, “I was a victim of crime in my late teens that was never prosecuted. I wasn’t injured, but my sense of security vanished. This naïve idea that bad things only happened to other people evaporated. I went to law school for the sole purpose of becoming a criminal prosecutor. I wanted the white hat, the chance to change lives, heal old wounds, and make people feel safe again.” The pursuit of justice, for Anna, was not just about prosecuting crimes; it was about healing.

Her early career as a prosecutor encountered its share of disillusionment. She states, “I graduated law school during the great recession and the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office was on a hiring freeze. So, I took the first prosecutor position I could get, in Cameron County, Texas. I was a baby prosecutor for about nine months before I saw the FBI raid the office and prosecute the elected district attorney for racketeering. No white hat. No safety. Serendipitously, my mentor and now dear friend, Richard Alpert, called the next morning and offered me a coveted interview position with Tarrant County. I got the job and proudly served as a prosecutor for another four years, trying everything from DWIs to capital murders. I had the job of my dreams, at the best, most experienced office in the state. The issue was, everyone knew it. At this time, nobody left that job. My growth was stifled by seniority.” Anna’s resolve only strengthened.

The founding of Varghese Summersett, alongside her husband, was a leap of faith—a bold stride towards a vision of a law firm that transcended conventional boundaries. Anna states, “If I wanted to grow professionally, I had to do it without government red tape and seniority glass ceiling. My husband, also a prosecutor at the time, was struggling with the same thing. We put our heads together and evaluated our options. All of the criminal defense attorneys we knew were solo practitioners and they looked stressed. Trying to balance the rigors of daily law practice with the stressors of running a successful business seemed near impossible to do alone. So, we flipped the script and decided to build a team.”

Anna’s team envisioned a place where clients were not just cases but people in need of compassion, understanding, and restoration. This vision materialized into a practice that places human experience at its core, offering a sanctuary for those navigating their darkest moments.

Anna’s approach to law is revolutionary, integrating the ethos of five-star service with legal expertise. In hiring the best trial lawyers they could find, Anna and her husband spent time to perfect the business. She describes this further, “We democratized information previously well-guarded by brilliant lawyers sitting behind their large mahogany desks and put it online for all the access. We built out a stunning Class-A office space to provide our clients with a beautiful respite from their darkest problems.

We created a client journey that more closely tracks a journey of healing through trauma than a traditional results focused model. We’ve found significant success with this model and the impact it has had for our clients. They have responded in kind, making us the highest-rated law firm in Fort Worth with over 1,100 five-star reviews on Google. For the past two years, we have worked on replicating our firm’s model in family law and personal injury law. Now, our clients have one safe place they can come when facing life’s most difficult problems.” Varghese Summersett stands as a beacon of excellence in Fort Worth, not only for its legal accomplishments but for its unwavering commitment to humanize the legal journey.

As a working mother, Anna embodies the challenges and triumphs of balancing professional aspirations with personal commitments. Her motivation, deeply rooted in the examples set by formidable working mothers within the legal community, is a testament to the strength found in shared experiences. Anna shares, “The struggle to integrate our lives with our work without sacrificing either is ever present and necessitates a village of like-abled women reaching out in solidarity. When I became a mother myself, I leaned into their example and was empowered by it. They did it. I can do it. And not just do it, but thrive in it.” In the pursuit of such balance, Anna also gives credit to the partnership she has with her husband. She attests that his understanding of her allows for her to flourish in her own space and become exactly who she wants to be – a manager of opportunity.

Anna’s influence on Fort Worth extends beyond the courtroom. Anna describes, “I attribute a lot of our firm’s success to the evolving nature of this city. The city is growing at a surrealistic pace, but never seems to lose focus of the relational way in which we do business.” Varghese Summersett is continuing to mirror this by staying in a constant state of self-reflection amidst growth, fostering a space where individuals, irrespective of their struggles, find advocacy, support, and hope.

Fort Worth is just that – relational. Anna describes her love of the city further, “There’s a lot of things that happen with a handshake and a smile. You know, it’s casual in that aspect, but it’s still very progressive in terms of opportunity. It’s the fastest growing city in the country while still maintaining this charming lifestyle about it.”

Her description of Fort Worth as a city that balances progressiveness with relational warmth captures the essence of her impact—empowered. Anna navigates her world with a confidence borne of a lifetime of knowing no bounds, of challenges embraced, and of victories shared. She describes, “While I am forever a project-in-progress I’m grateful to have always known who I was and who I wanted to be. I’ve partnered well in life and love, my husband being a man of great vision. He empowers me not to just use my strengths, but to search for and refine new ones. Together, we create opportunities: opportunities for our clients to restore their lives; opportunities for our team to build their careers; opportunities for our our children to shape their future.”

Anna Summersett stands as a testament to the power of dreaming boldly and acting with purpose. She is proof that in the pursuit of our dreams, in the service of our community, and in the balance of our personal lives, the possibilities are boundless. Fort Worth shines brighter with Anna among its stars.