The Windy City

In a couple of weeks I will be speaking at the Clio Cloud 9 conference in Chicago. I am SO excited. I have never been to Chicago and have always wanted to go. Getting another opportunity to talk about OLS is exciting as well. The Revolution is in full force, with new entities popping up all over the country. Now that I am a super nerd in public (see image below), it's fun to see those passionate about Access to Justice in person and get to share my experiences. Normally I would hesitate to post my own license plate, but that's the beauty of vanity, I guess (the secret's already out as I'm driving around).

This week a local attorney sent a client referral to me specifically. I only have about 8 cases at this point (the ones that just will not end but that I can't let go of) and it pains me to see clients who ask for me specifically and to have to tell them no. I miss practicing, but it's just not really an option with the company getting as big as it has. They need me to run the place, the consulting about our experiences is keeping me busy, and I just don't feel like I can do as great of a job on cases if I have too many and try and juggle too much admin at the same time. Sometime soon, I might talk to the board about bringing on an executive director to replace me so that I can practice again. I can still do the consulting and management, but perhaps the nonprofit business side of things could go to someone else. Maybe even a part time person could do it, who knows. I'm a great attorney, and I was just getting a handle on family law when I had Henry and gave away most of my cases. Who knows what the future will hold? For now, I know that I get to talk about something I love to people who want to hear it.

My Annual Promise to Blog

Every year around this time I hop on, realize I haven't posted in a year, and promise to post more. It's a cycle but at least I recognize it!! Life as an executive director of a nonprofit seems to get busier and busier. Earlier this year I had a second child, so that on top of my day to day responsibilities with the firm has kept me in essentially a frantic mode at all times.

I am in serious need of a nap.

Henry is great. He is a wonderful baby and so very very cute. See Exhibit 1. At 7 months, he is already crawling and trying to pull himself up. He is in the 95 percentile for height. He is currently obsessed with blowing raspberries and trilling all day, while getting copious amounts of saliva all over his face. He spends half his time at daddy's house, and my heart breaks every time they go.

Abby is growing like a weed. She started first grade this year. She is SO smart and so creative. She makes up songs, on the spot, that are catchy and clever. The girl can write a hook, to be sure! She loves to dress up and is currently obsessed with fairies. She adores being a big sister. She is so tender with Henry, even when he pokes her in the eye or pulls her hair. She just smothers him in cuddles and lets him totally abuse her with his little sausage fingers and ham fists.

These two, along with my other baby (the company) are my sources of joy and accomplishment. While I have gotten a lot of credit for the low bono work the company is doing, coming home to these two is so rewarding. It will be amazing to see what they decide to do with their lives.

Practicing law is becoming a smaller part of my role. I am starting to get more into development, which I am not super in love with but must be done to help the company grow. There are days when I am perfectly content not dealing with family law drama, and others when I miss being in the courtroom kicking ass. I constantly go back and forth, but trying to manage both is not really sustainable. I can't believe it's almost been two years since we started Open Legal Services, I wonder what it will look like two years from now?