By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News
Attorney Jennifer Lawrence, the new president of the Washtenaw County Bar Association, started college with the intent to major in criminal justice, planning to follow in the footsteps of her father and brother, who both served as police officers.
But when she told her father of her plans, he urged her to reconsider and obtain a four-year degree before starting the police academy.
And so Lawrence — who spent high school afternoons working in the criminal/civil division at 15th District Court as part of a curriculum to complete a business course — headed to Eastern Michigan University, where she earned a business degree.
This had not been her original plan but, once Lawrence found the program, she was fully committed and noted the degree has been invaluable, especially when she opened her own practice, the Law office of Jennifer Lawrence PLLC in Ann Arbor, nearly six years ago.
She also stumbled on the EMU paralegal program and changed her major to business with a focus on paralegal studies.
“I’ve worked as a paralegal, an associate attorney and now a business owner. It amazes me the amount of knowledge you need to run a business and practice law successfully. I’ve seen many trial attorneys who are amazing in their profession but have very little understanding of the business side of actually running a firm,” she said.
“For my clients I began my career working at a firm that primarily practiced bankruptcy law. I learned how the debt system works with clients and how to manage and protect clients against debt issues and became hyper aware of financial issues that arise in their cases.”
After graduating, Lawrence worked as a contract paralegal for large firms on anti-trust litigation and then doing discovery investigations for the automotive industry.
Later she took a position with a mid-level firm that primarily practices in intellectual property and corporate law.
The experience made her yearn to go further into the legal field; but says she never imagined she would attend law school.
“After years working under attorneys, I realized I wanted to be an attorney and decided to go to law school,” she said. “I was lucky to have an amazing mentor who encouraged me to follow my dream.
“I’m the first lawyer in my family and I didn’t make the decision to go to law school until I was 26. I always knew I wanted to do something legally related but I didn’t realize my goal was to practice law until I was working at a firm.”
Lawrence attended Western Michigan University Cooley Law School at the main campus in Lansing, where she particularly enjoyed Trial Skills and Computer Assisted Legal Research.
“I found the education I received there to be phenomenal. I had some of the best professors in the business. I still keep in touch with many of them to this day,” she said. “I also met some amazing friends who also went to law school later in life.”
Lawrence relished participating in moot court, an experience she said is the closest she came to lawyering while in law school.
“I loved the thrill of arguing the case,” she said, “and the anticipation of the judge’s decision.”
During her final semester, when students are required to complete an externship, Lawrence chose a firm specializing in criminal defense — and participated in several high-profile criminal cases including two murder trials and various federal court trials.
“The work was interesting but I quickly realized that criminal cases impacted me in a way I didn’t expect,” she said. “A client of the firm asked me to draft a settlement agreement for their divorce and I found my passion during that time for family law.”
Lawrence also offers clients her experience in real estate, debt counseling, high asset, tax planning and business division in a family law case. In addition, she deals with misdemeanor criminal defense cases, civil litigation and domestic partnership agreements.
“Throughout my career and as an early associate I was asked to take every case that walked in the door — and during that time I became proficient in real estate transactions, criminal cases, and civil cases,” she said.
“When I began my own firm I opened my door to clients who were dealing with any of these issues because they all involved the family dynamic in some aspect. Now I primarily focus on family law but I’m able to use my skillset for other areas when needed.”
Lawrence also is trained in collaborative divorce and parenting coordination.
“Family cases require various approaches — no case is a one size fits all,” she said. “I encourage all clients to look to a collaborative divorce or mediation before they go to court.
“There are so many reasons for this including financial security, maintaining civility for children and to preserve the co-parenting relationship if possible. Unfortunately not all cases can be settled civilly and when they can’t I’m also comfortable in the courtroom as a last result.”
Estate planning is another facet of Lawrence’s business and she looks on that as a form of family law.
“I’ve seen the dynamics in families become very contentious when a family member becomes ill or a money is involved,” she said. “I tell clients the best gift they can give their families is a good estate plan that’s updated regularly.”
Lawrence, who took over the gavel from Samuel Bernstein and began her presidential tenure on July 1, has been an active member in the Washtenaw County Bar Association from the beginning of her career and has enjoyed the networking and camaraderie.
“I joined the board 14 years ago and have found the membership invaluable,” she said. “Many of the colleagues I’ve met were individuals who practiced different areas of law but shared a goal of working together to provide a resource for the attorneys of Washtenaw.
“Being an attorney — and a parent and business owner — is hard work,” she added. “It’s a challenge to find a work/life balance in this field. My goal as WCBA president is to provide an inclusive and welcoming environment to all members of the bar for networking, social activities and continuing legal education.”
Lawrence also joined the Women Lawyers Association when she first began practicing.
“The organization has also been an important part of my practice and serving as the president of the Washtenaw Chapter was a highlight of my career,” she said.
Lawrence’s husband, Jason, owns a business in Ann Arbor; and the couple has two children — Karis, who is starting fifth grade, and Jonas will be a second-grader in the fall.
In her leisure time, Lawrence’s favorite pastimes are using her Peloton bike, yoga and attending her children’s sporting events. She also serves on the State Bar of Michigan’s Character and Fitness Committee and does presentations regularly on family law.
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