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From finance to law: Columbus attorney follows passion for helping animals
Published: December 21, 2016
Do what you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life. For many, finding work that aligns with a life passion is merely a daydream. But for attorney Sandra Horvath, the dream has come true.
Five years ago, Horvath decided to leave her position at John Hancock Financial Services, where she had served in various capacities for 20 years, to follow her passion for helping animals.
Horvath admits it was not an easy decision to make.
“There is never a convenient time for a career disruption,” Horvath said. “I waited for the most appropriate time in my career, resigned my position and started on this new adventure.”
At the time of her career change, Horvath admitted that she only had a vague idea of what she wanted to do.
“I knew I wanted to help animals and I wanted to do so through the law,” she said. “I felt that having the right laws in place were key to protecting animals.” Horvath enrolled at Capital University Law School, and obtained her law degree in 2014.
Today, Horvath runs her own law practice in Columbus. A small portion of her practice focuses on estate and business planning, which allows her to utilize her financial skillset.
“I had experience in this area from the financial advisor’s perspective, and I now enjoy working with individuals and small business owners to help them address their planning needs,” Horvath said. The wide majority of her time both in and out of the office, however, is heavily devoted to animal welfare issues.
As a student, Horvath interned for the ASPCA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing animal cruelty.
Over the years, she has increased her involvement with this organization, and most recently, she served as outside counsel to assist the nonprofit group in filing an amicus brief for a case currently pending on appeal.
Not all of her animal welfare work is related to her legal work, however. Horvath serves of the boards of two animal welfare organizations, and spends most of her time volunteering in a hands-on capacity.
“One group is a farm animal sanctuary,” Horvath said. “I spend a lot of time directly with the animals. They may not have pressing legal issues, but they do require a tremendous amount of care and I am more than happy to provide it.”
In fact, in June of 2015, she moved from her cozy condo in downtown Columbus to a 5-acre mini farm that abuts the sanctuary so she could be close to it and her animal friends, Horvath reported.
When she’s not personally caring for animals, Horvath serves as chair of the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) Animal Law Committee.
“I joined OSBA as a student member because there was an Animal Law Committee and that was my passion area,” Horvath said. “I was impressed by the dedicated group that founded the committee and their passion for the area, and I was thrilled to be embraced so warmly as a student.”
Horvath said she hopes that, as chair, she may encourage other student members to become involved.
In addition to her role as committee chair, Horvath has also taught continuing legal education courses about a variety of animal issues, from animal welfare trends in Ohio to the link between animal abuse and human violence. For Horvath, she said presenting these courses has inspired a new passion.
“I enjoy sparking an interest in an area and creating a ripple effect when someone learns a new idea and it becomes a passion, and in some cases, a mission,” Horvath said. “I feel this is the most effective way to generate interest that ultimately leads to action.”
Horvath received her bachelor’s degree in marketing and her master’s of business administration with a concentration in finance from Ohio University. She earned her law degree with a concentration in dispute resolution from Capital University Law School.
Horvath currently resides in Marysville with her dog, Mocca; her three chickens, Lucy, Ricky and Birdie; her three cats, John, Paul and George; and her chinchilla, Lilly. She is currently in the process of adopting a potbellied pig named Wilbur.
The Ohio State Bar Association, founded in 1880, is a voluntary association representing approximately 22,000 members of the bench and bar of Ohio as well as nearly 4,000 legal assistants and law students. Through its activities and the activities of its related organizations, the OSBA serves both its members and the public by promoting the highest standards in the practice of law and the administration of justice.