'Meg' Flores, 43, attorney from Chestnut Hill

Margaret Mary Flores, 43, of Chestnut Hill, a lawyer who even in the depths of her illness cheered on the sidelines at her daughters' soccer games, died of cancer Wednesday, Oct. 29, at home.

Ms. Flores, known as "Meg," was raised in Drexel Hill and graduated from Merion Mercy Academy, King's College, and the George Washington Law School.

She spent the first part of her career as a lawyer with the Defender Association of Philadelphia, serving the indigent and disenfranchised, and eventually mentoring and supervising young defenders. In 2000, Ms. Flores was selected to represent hundreds of people arrested for protesting at the Republican National Convention. None was convicted.

"She was smart and fierce in the courtroom, and somehow still managed to have everyone like her, including the prosecutors," said Shawn Nolan, her cocounsel on those cases.

She eventually went into private practice, helping to found the law firm that would eventually bear her name - Greenblatt, Pierce, Engle, Funt & Flores L.L.C. She started the practice's family law section while maintaining criminal defense and civil rights cases.

"Clients wanted to hire Meg because she was the best," said Ronald Greenblatt, the firm's managing partner. "She was not only an incredible lawyer, but she was also instrumental in managing our firm."

But closest to her heart was her family - her husband of 15 years, Mike Gonzales, and their daughters, Aden, Jacqueline, and Rory.

She was always devoted to Gonzales and their girls, but never more so than after her diagnosis two years ago.

"She dedicated every moment, every breath, to fighting her illness and being with her girls," Gonzales said.

Ms. Flores spent her time at games and events at her daughters' schools, Green Woods Charter and Masterman. She endured painful treatments and surgeries, family friend Victor Abreu said, but never let on.

"She always remained incredibly positive," Abreu said. "Through the whole process, she was the one who would always try to pick other people up."

Always she was the sort of person others emulated, said Abreu.

"If you wanted to figure out how to solve a problem, you'd say, 'What would Meg do now?' " he said. "That carried over into her professional life and her personal life."

In addition to her husband and daughters, Ms. Flores is survived by a brother.

Friends may call at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Church of St. Luke and the Epiphany, 330 S. 13th St., where a Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. Burial will be private.

Memorial donations can be made to Get Your Rear in Gear Philadelphia, care of "Legs 4 Meg," 200 Cemetery Rd., Mount Laurel, N.J. 08054.