Family Rules
When sitting down to interview Tracy Gold regarding her career as a family lawyer, the first thing she wants to talk about are her three wonderful sons and loving husband of 25 years, David. Although she adds a little about herself, including her recent battle with breast cancer, family is certainly at the center of her personal and professional life, which Ms. Gold traces back to her childhood in Scarsdale, New York.
Ms. Gold says her father, Larry Suslow, was her first mentor and introduced her to life as an attorney. He and her mother, Kiki, fostered a deep love of the values that shaped her all-important relationships. “My childhood was idyllic,” she recalls fondly. “My parents shared a happy fifty-year marriage. I grew up with an older brother (from her mother’s first marriage), a sister, six cats and two dogs. We were fortunate to enjoy family vacations, Broadway shows and concerts, but nevertheless, my parents instilled a strong work ethic. My first job in high school was at my father’s law firm.”
Ms. Gold was introduced to New Orleans when her brother attended Tulane, and she fell in love with the city. She too attended Tulane and studied psychology and sociology before going back to New York to attend Brooklyn Law School. After graduation, the avid crime-novel reader honed her legal skills as an ADA in the Kings County District Attorney’s office. “It’s not like on TV,” explains Ms. Gold. “I worked with the police, interviewing witnesses and criminals during 24-hour ride alongs and had daily contact with juries and judges. The experience was invaluable and taught me to think on my toes. But after several years, the cases were emotionally draining because I became attached
to the victims of violent crimes and their families.”
After five years with the DA, Ms. Gold returned to New Orleans with her husband to start a family in a city more relaxed than New York. “That was 23 years ago and we’ve made a great life here with our three children, family and friends.” Ms. Gold focuses solely on family law and has been with Tranchina & Mansfield Law Firm for over 10 years. She credits Frank Tranchina with being a great mentor and proponent of work/life balance. “I call myself a ‘Mommy Lawyer’ because I structured my schedule around attending school events and activities. I still have the New Yorker in me though, and can be tough when a client needs me to be—especially when it comes to the welfare of a child in a custody case.” She believes that her childhood as part of a blended family, her education in psychology and years of professional experience allow her the perspective to help clients become healthier parents and navigate through the tough times. “My husband, David, was the child of a painful, ugly divorce and I don’t want that for anybody. I always strive to protect children in the divorce process. To me, being a good family lawyer means always being available to listen and give guidance.”
Ms. Gold wanted to recreate the lifestyle in which she was raised. She and David found the right feel in St. Tammany Parish. “I love the wholesome environment, getting to know so many people in the community, and the wonderful schools our children attended, Kehoe France and St. Paul’s.” Ms. Gold eagerly elaborates on her crowning achievement and the center of their family—her three sons. “We are blessed that our kids are self-driven, well-adjusted, respectful, and happy. They have always supported each other and I am proud to say they’re great friends. David and I raised them with love, support, and structure, but with the freedom to explore and be their best selves.”
Her oldest, Max, is 22 and recently graduated summa cuml aude from Washington and Lee University. He was a Johnson Scholar at college and St. Paul’s valedictorian. Ms. Gold is thrilled that he has returned to New Orleans to work as a software engineer. Jackson is 18 and also excels in academics. He was St. Paul’s salutatorian and earned both a perfect 36 on the ACT and a National Merit Scholarship. Jackson was also a starting defender on the St. Paul’s state championship lacrosse team. He will attend the University of Alabama Honors College to study computer science. At 14, her youngest son Sam has faced more adversity than his brothers. At eight years old, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Ms. Gold says he has a great attitude and doesn’t let it hold him back. He also has been recognized for academic excellence by St. Paul’s and carries on the tradition of lacrosse.
Ms. Gold says she most values loyalty, compassion, integrity, and empathy in her law practice and taught those values to her boys early on. “We also stressed being kind, patient, and generous with others. Both Max and Jackson were the President of Habitat for Humanity at St. Paul’s, and our family is a proud supporter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. We take part in the annual walk as Team Gold and Sam was even the 2018 pediatric hero. Just as I was raised, we had dinner together every night when they were younger. Now that they are older and busy with careers, college, and lacrosse, when we are able to sit down for a family meal or simple movie night, I couldn’t be happier.”
Tracy Gold is an attorney at the law office of Tranchina & Mansfield, LLC. Their offices are located at 321 E. Kirkland Street in Covington. For more information, call 985-892-1313 or visit tranchinaandmansfield.com.
