I don’t always work traditional hours and I don’t always work out of my office. I handle all tasks myself, which means no delays from reviewing other’s work or waiting for drafts and no need for me to check in with staff to work your file. I’m efficient. I work from my home office, my NE Portland office, and wherever life takes me.

As a working parent, I appreciate the importance of balancing work and family responsibillites.

A significant reason for managing my own practice is because of this. I have small humans that need a lot from me. It’s typically food, but sometimes other obligations that have me away from my computer. This means when I am “Parent on Duty” in my household, that is my focus.

Conversely, when I am in work mode, I am fully dedicated to my professional responsibilites.

To maintain this balance I have structured my schedule to create clear boundaries between my work and my home life. For instance, I do not set meetings before 9 a.m. unless it is for trial, mediation, or a deposition, and I try and be at the table for dinner every night, even if I have to hop back on my computer later.

A lot of the time I can be more efficient and faster at what I do using technology. While we will use the phones to discuss questions and strategy, I use email to schedule those calls and touch base regularly, and other online platforms to move your case along without you having to drive to my office all the time, unless you want to. I also won’t be mailing you hard copies of everything unless I am required to by local rules or statute. The exception is, of course, if you want me to. So if you are not one to use email, let’s talk about that in advance to make sure that you and I can communicate effectively and are on the same page.

Not every client is a right match for me. If you are, you will know it. If you are reading this thinking that you want a more traditional lawyer, then you should set up a consultation with one! The great thing about family law lawyers is that like you, there are a lot of different types of us, and you need to find the right one for you.

I charge at or below, market rate because I keep my expenses low and use my time efficently. I don’t offer free consultations or answer calls for free family advice, as it would increase my rates for my paying clients.

My consultations are productive meetings where we discuss your specific facts, apply the law, and answer questions. Most clients who have a consultation hire me, making it our first official meeting where we outline our strategy and start drafting documents. Consultations are an invaluable time where we get to work. I will look back on the notes from that consultation throughout the entire case. And if you don’t retain me, you’ll leave with advice or resources to handle things independently.

I love family law. I enjoy working through the complex issues of the mess we live in. But in order to do that and carry the emotional load of family law year after year, I have set healthy boundaries between my work and personal life (including not looking at my work phone when I'm with my family). I hope that you are able to do that, too.