Once a Runner…

“The lessons I learned from my time as a runner are still with me.”

I started running at 16. I was not running marathons, or even 5Ks . . . but documents. Legal documents.

This was back before e-filing, when it was actually someone’s job, specifically, my job, to run court filings to the courthouse. This often meant skidding into the clerk’s office just before 5:00 p.m. to make the filing deadline. I can still feel my heart pounding until I heard the THUNK THUNK of that day’s “Date Filed” stamp on the three duplicate copies I handed over to the very annoyed clerk.

In addition to court filings, I handled the mail, stocked the office fridge with soda, and updated the pocket parts in the firm’s library books. It was hard work, but every day there was something new to experience and it began my passion for the law. I witnessed what it means to deliver excellent client service and to work collaboratively on a case. I have worked in law firms ever since - as a runner, a legal assistant, a paralegal, and as an attorney.

On March 1, 2020, I start my own law firm.

However, the lessons I learned from my time as a runner are still with me. I did not always appreciate it then, but the filings I was ask to run just before 5:00 p.m. were perfect legal balancing acts - the attorney doing all she could for a client while also abiding professional obligations. Updating the law library showed me how to care for clients by maintaining expertise and staying current. Today, I still cherish preparing real mail. It is often the only way I can connect with my clients who are in prison on a regular basis.

I am so proud to start Power Law. “Power” is not just my last name. This firm is meant to empower those involved in the criminal justice system to seek the best solutions possible. Whether you are a client, colleague, or friend, your support means everything as I continue to run along on this new journey.