Karen Jimeno: On Law, Teaching, And Motherhood
Lawyer, news anchor, columnist, teacher, and mom, Karen Jimeno continues to show that women can do it if they set their minds to it
She is seen on TV and online on Bilyonaryo News Channel as one of its anchors for At The Forefront and writes for the Philippine Daily Inquirer as a motoring columnist. And when she’s not on screen or writing, lawyer Karen Jimeno attends to the cases she handles.
These days, Karen’s schedule is packed with anchoring, teaching students, and court cases. She even makes time to speak at various seminars. Above all, she focuses on her son, 3-year-old Evan Keith McBride.
Her Debut on the National Stage
Karen Jimeno’s name first appeared when she was announced as one of the defense lawyers and spokespersons for the late Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona during his impeachment trial. At that time, Karen had just finished her studies in the United States. When she told her mom, Rita, a lawyer and host of the radio show Saklolo Abogado, about the offer, she warned her daughter what was to come.
“She warned me that ‘you may experience negative backlash from people not because they have anything personal against you, but because they don’t like the client you represent,’” she recalled. “In hindsight, she was correct. At that time, there was no TikTok or Instagram, yet the bashing from those who were pro and anti-impeachment was significant on Twitter, Facebook, and online blogs or comments.”
Nevertheless, it taught her valuable lessons for the cases and stories she handled as a lawyer and news anchor. “That experience taught me not to let the noise of opinions and criticisms cloud my judgment and rationality when handling controversial cases. It also taught me not to get emotional nor take things personally when others disagree with a position I take on cases. I learned to value legal competence (because that is essential to applying the law) and a moral compass to guide my decisions when handling cases. Because of the number of interviews during the impeachment, that experience trained me to be comfortable in public speaking and appearing on TV. It contributed to how I ended up having a career in media.”
Her work as a lawyer is no surprise given that her family, including her parents and sisters, are all in the profession. Her great-grandfather was one of the members who drafted the 1935 Philippine constitution.
“My parents inspire us by example. I watched my parents use their legal profession to create a positive impact on people’s lives,” she said. “Some of the people they’ve helped as clients became our family friends. They taught us to value people, not money, and to always try to help others.”
Her parents showed them that despite their busy schedules, they make time for their family. “My mom was especially good at juggling work and motherhood. Growing up, I would sometimes see her on TV being interviewed about some of the high-profile cases she was handling. But at home, she was a loving mother to my siblings and me.”
Serving In Government
Following the impeachment trial, Karen Jimeno found herself getting opportunities to serve in government in different capacities. She worked for the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation & Recovery, the Department of Public Works & Highways, and the Presidential Management Staff. She is presently a member of the Strategic Advisory Council of the Philippine Army. These positions gave her insights into the importance of women’s opinions in male-dominated departments.
“Women offer a different perspective and approach. Perhaps it’s biological for women to have a certain level of maternal instinct, and the characteristics that are borne out of that can be helpful in difficult situations— women can be tough and protective yet nurturing and soothing,” she pointed out.
Karen said many women have become trailblazers, citing the number of women working in different fields, including the legal profession.
“We see a lot of women holding important legal roles such as partners in law firms, deans of law schools, public officials, legislators, court judges, and justices. The Philippines already had a female Supreme Court Chief Justice and female Secretaries of Justice.”
With more women now in the legal profession and government, she acknowledged that some threats come with it.
“When I served as Undersecretary of the Department of Public Works, I eventually had to hire my [own] private security because of the death threats made to people in our department in relation to right of way issues and reports of syndicates involved in fake right of way claims,” she said.
“However, I think women are particularly more susceptible to sexual harassment in the workplace and other professional settings. Women can protect themselves by being familiar with the laws that make this illegal (such as the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law) and by raising awareness that women should not put up with demeaning treatment.”
Karen Jimeno, As Mom and Teacher
Karen Jimeno never forgets the one task she loves: being a mom. Her son, Evan Keith, has her full attention after a busy day. Teaching Evan Keith to respect women is very important to her, and she’s grateful that her husband Evan McBride also reminds him.
“I try to talk to him like an adult, and I tell him to be respectful of girls through simple gestures like saying ‘Excuse me, please ‘ and letting them go first when they’re trying to use the same toy or playground. My husband teaches my son to be respectful of women by starting with me.”
She points out that boys who treat their moms right show how they treat women, so as early as a child, they know how to treat them right.
Her marriage has also helped her and their son learn to balance two cultures. She shared that in their household, they would speak Tagalog, English, and Bisaya, the native tongue of one of their nannies.
They’ve also taught him the nuances and values of American and Filipino culture, sharing that he has learned to eat turkey during Thanksgiving, despite not being fond of it. Being family-oriented is also something she and Evan have in common and teach their son.
“He is close to our big extended Filipino family because we spend all the major holidays (like Noche Buena, New Year, Easter Sunday) with them, but we try to go home to the US every year so he can also spend time with his extended family there. We’ve also trained our son to carry the respectful Filipino culture of saying ‘po’ and ‘opo’ even if he’s speaking in English. At 3 years old, he already prays before eating and before sleeping,” she shared.
Aside from being a mom, Karen loves teaching. She has taught law classes in many universities and has advised would-be lawyers.
“Some students also ask me about how they can find their purpose. Not all lawyers end up in the same field, and some can be litigators, corporate in-house lawyers, NGO lawyers, or politicians, or some don’t even practice law and become business people. What’s important is that you apply your legal skills in an area that you’re passionate about and where you can have a positive impact on others,” she said.
Teaching has given her joy and purpose, something she has gotten from her family, who also teach and share their knowledge in different law schools.
“When I was a student in UP Law and Harvard Law, I excelled in subjects that had great professors, and I was also inspired by them,” she said. “So I always try to do my best in teaching my students in a way that maximizes their learning, rather than terrorize them (which is what other law professors are notorious for doing). I’ve had lawyers who work in government or corporations, and even judges approached me to say that they were my students before. It makes me very proud when I see my students succeed (and it also reminds me that I’ve grown older).”
Learning And Accepting the Uniqueness of Parenthood
While she has a lot on her plate, Karen squeezes time to write something people may be surprised to know about her: her love of cars. Her love for cars is something she got from her dad.
“He used to take me with him when we would look at different cars and car accessories. I also read the car magazines he had accumulated at home. I’ve been a motoring columnist for over 10 years now, and I enjoy it because I love cars, and writing about them cultivates my creative writing skills,” she said.
As a parent, Karen finds herself in the typical scenario of screen time for her son. She believes in minimizing screen time, but her son has found ways around it.
“Unfortunately, my son has learned to watch videos from my nieces and his friends, so it’s hard to completely ban screen time at home,” she said. “But my husband and I always tell him that he can only watch for a few minutes. I find it funny that he has learned to negotiate. One time, my husband said, ‘Okay, Evan, 5 minutes more,’ and my son responded, ‘Can it be 20 minutes?’ I think we have to lead by example, so I try not to be on my phone or iPad when I’m with my son.”
With the parenting tips and advice she has heard, what has Karen Jimeno learned now that she’s a parent herself? For one, she accepted her son’s unique personality.
“I used to compare ourselves with the experience of my friends and their kids, and I would get frustrated over little things like my son not eating vegetables or being picky with food. I realized that we have to learn ways to care for them and mold them to be good persons without trying to change their unique identity,” she said.
Karen also said that she has learned not to feel guilty because of her work, something she felt in the beginning when her son arrived.
“Parents shouldn’t have to make the drastic move of leaving their careers. What’s important is planning your schedule wisely and creating a reliable support system so that your child won’t be neglected and you can still be an involved, hands-on parent,” she said.
She may wear different hats every day, but Karen Jimeno’s main hat will always be mom and her family.
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