In celebration of Women’s History Month, Becker is showcasing the inspiration, philosophies, and expertise of the women attorneys and lobbyists who help elevate our firm and client service. Kaylin Martinelli is an attorney in our Orlando office. She focuses her practice on Construction Law & Litigation, with an emphasis on construction defect litigation.
Q: Explain your practice area and what you do.
A: I am a construction defect attorney, which basically means that we sue developers (although not exclusively) for defectively built communities. That may include townhomes, condominiums, roadways, stormwater systems, pools… pretty much anything the HOA/COA is responsible for maintaining, and sometimes more. A home is typically the largest purchase/investment a person makes, so it makes me incredibly sad to go out to communities where people suffer from extensive roof leaks, stucco cracks, drainage issues, etc. Unfortunately, it seems to be a growing problem.
Q: How did you know you wanted to practice law?
A: I knew from around age 5 that I wanted to be an attorney and never wavered from it. I have no idea who planted that occupation in my head – maybe my parents. Either way, it was not a decision I was actually cognizant of – I just sort of pronounced that I was going to be an attorney and here I am.
Q: What is a significant achievement or milestone in your career that you’re particularly proud of?
A: Our team is actively achieving an outstanding recovery for one of our clients- the largest of my carrier to date at more than 80% of the damages we asserted. That is significantly higher than an average recovery, which bodes extremely well for our clients!
Q: What qualities do you admire about the women in your life?
A: The absolute tenacity and grit they have. I think women have an uncanny ability to get things done.
Q: Who is your favorite female historical figure and why?
A: It’s cliché, but probably Ruth Bader Ginsburg – for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, she was a tremendous advocate for gender equality and worked tirelessly towards that goal. If you have not watched the 2018 documentary on her life, I highly recommend it. Second, she was great friends with Antonin Scalia, her SCOTUS opposite, and a rather polarizing figure at times. Folks today could stand to be more like her in that way. Lastly, every opinion I have ever read from her has been exceptional. Whether I agreed with her on a particular issue or not, her logic and reasoning were always incredibly sound and consistent.
Q: What obstacles do women still face today?
A: This certainly crosses gender lines as an issue, but at my current life stage, I see a lot of women struggling with work-life balance as an obstacle. While I’m not there yet, I am already nervous about how on earth I am going to juggle having children in addition to my career, marriage, other important relationships, dogs, physical health (the gym), sleep, etc. Women have been doing it for centuries though, so I suppose I will figure it out just as they did.
Q: What is something you would like the next generation of women to know?
A: I hope every woman gets to be exactly what she deserves to be.
Q: What advice would you give your younger self?
A: My dad always told me life is easy, you literally just have to “not die” and you’re succeeding. That’s it: just don’t die. With some exceptions, everything else is fixable, can be overcome, or is temporary. That took a while to resonate with me and I wish it would have sooner. My advice would be to listen to him.