Rachel Dollar attended law school by correspondence (“It was a difficult and solitary path,” she says) after becoming interested in the profession while working as a legal secretary, then a paralegal. In 2005, after establishing her reputation with another local firm, she launched Smith Dollar LLC with partner Glenn Smith. Asked about her management style, Dollar summarizes, “I’m good at choosing leaders. I’ve hired and surround myself with amazing people.”
A mortgage banking litigation specialist, Dollar was recently voted a Northern California Super Lawyer. I’d call that a successful benchmark, but she has another definition: “Success means having the freedom to pursue your interests,” she says. “I’ve been very fortunate to have achieved some renown in my career. I enjoy my work and am able to arrange my schedule so I can do the things I love, whether recreational or business-related. To me, that’s success.”
At what time of day do you feel your best?
I’m one of those annoying people who jump out of bed at 6 a.m., talking a million miles a minute. I’ve always found that the morning hours, before anyone else is stirring, are the most productive hours of the day. My mind is sharp, my energy is high…and the rest of my world is sleeping.
Is there anything that distinguished your childhood from the norm?
When I was 11 years old, my parents moved my four siblings and me off the grid. They wanted to be self-sufficient and raise their children in a place where they could instill Catholic values without the influences of modern society. Unfortunately, they weren’t savvy about the drug trade and they moved us into the mountains of Humboldt County, halfway between Fortuna and Redding on Highway 36. We lived in a tent for two winters while we built our house. There was no electricity or telephones. We communicated with the outside world by CB radio. My dad revved up the generator so we could watch television for one hour per week. We grew our own vegetables and raised chickens, geese, rabbits and pigs. What we didn’t raise, we hunted. In the winter, the snow was our refrigeration. In the summer, we didn’t buy or use perishables. We commuted to Fortuna for high school, which, during the winter, took at least two hours in each direction. We returned to civilization, with my new baby sister in tow, when I was 15.
Have you kept any mementos from your childhood?
I have a writing book I received as a present from my father. I was pretty isolated during my early teen years, and to keep myself entertained, I would listen to songs on the radio and try to write down the lyrics. I would start with the beginning of each line, and when the song came on again, I’d write the next few words, until I had all the lyrics. The book is filled with pages and pages and pages of song lyrics from the 1980s.
If you had one extra hour of free time each day, how would you use it?
Waterskiing! Making one more buoy on the slalom course. Right now, it’s my passion. When I run half a buoy more than Regina Jaquess (the women’s open world record holder), I’ll hang up my ski.
What food do you hate?
White pepper, which isn’t really a “food.” But there’s no part of me that understands the need for white pepper, I can taste it in anything and it absolutely ruins food for me.
What talent or skill would you like to have?
Balance. I have none. Just call me Grace.
What’s something mischievous that you’ve done?
When we moved from Humboldt County to Santa Rosa, it was the middle of winter. The snow was deep and we couldn’t get a vehicle in to our property, so we had to hike out. My father told us we could each take one box. I had a lot of things I wanted to keep, so I told my sister we each only got half of a box. I filled the rest of her box with my stuff. My sister has never forgotten that she had to leave her sticker collection in the mountains because I stole half her box!
What book has had the most impact on your life and why?
The Fourth Turning by William Strauss stands out, probably because it was referred to me by a client whose opinions I respect and generally share. Since reading it, the way I view our economy and the future is forever changed.
What is your favorite flavor jelly bean?
Black licorice.
