CASE STUDY
Creating Full-Time Income as a Part-Time Lawyer
In a world where careers often become identities, Irene DeJesus dared to reinvent herself. After dedicating three decades to nursing, she embarked on a quest for a second career in law, hoping it would prove to be just as fulfilling, while providing the flexible lifestyle she desired. But little did she know, she would have to overcome a huge obstacle before ultimately finding her way to freedom and fulfillment.
ABOUT THE LAWYER
Irene DeJesus
Irene is a former nurse with 30 years experience in healthcare, turned lawyer serving clients in Tennessee and Florida with Life & Legacy Planning. She is the mother of 2 adult children and a proud grandmother.
THE PROBLEM
Wanting Something New
After 30 years as a nurse, Irene went to law school because she wanted a second career as meaningful as her first. Straight out of law school, Irene’s first experience with law firm life left her unhappy and unsatisfied, in fact, she hated it so much that she stopped practicing after one year.
Irene set out looking for a new way to practice law as a part-time lawyer working from home. She wanted to build her practice using a system that was proven, tried and dependable and that’s how she found NLBM.
“When I was looking for a way to have a law practice that I loved and really enjoyed, that’s when I stumbled across NLBM. I was looking for full flexibility both with my time and the place where I practiced.
Based on that, I knew I needed structure and processes that would allow me to provide exemplary service efficiently and maximum success in a relatively short space of time.
I wanted standardized processes and to have meaningful relationships with potential clients and find my work fulfilling. I wanted specific, step-by-step guidance on starting a law firm that had meaning to me.”
Implementing a Proven System
When Irene started with NLBM, she had zero experience in estate planning. Within her first two months with NLBM, Irene completed the New Law Business Model Training, learning how to service clients over the long term with next-level estate planning and small business counsel. All in all, it took Irene 3 months after joining NLBM to get her practice up and running.
“I had no experience in estate planning – and In FL we have very complex homestead laws, and tenancy by the entirety laws – I followed the boot camp, doing it module by module, step by step; not only was I learning the theory, but I got a ton of CLE’s that NLBM had set up through the state of Florida. Besides that, part of what I was doing was homework.
It’s actually quite genius the way they have it set up. Not only was I learning theory, I did my own plan and was implementing what I was learning. At the same time as I was learning general estate planning, I was also learning my state laws.”
Achieving Full Time Revenue, Fulfillment and Family Time
Since joining NLBM, Irene has been working part time hours and generating full time revenue. She engages 98% of the people she meets with for an average fee of $4,375. She sees about 12 clients a month and averages $52,500 in monthly revenue. Her life as a Personal Family Lawyer has allowed her to feel like she’s making a positive impact in her community while still leaving her plenty of quality time to spend with her adult children and grandchildren.
By attaining the substantive legal knowledge necessary to provide a meaningful service and leveraging the marketing and technical support NLBM provides Irene was able to build her practice into a business that’s a win-win for both her and her clients.
“I don’t actually call it a ‘part-time law practice,’ except with other attorneys. I describe it as ‘a very specialized boutique service, where I determine whom I work with, and it’s a limited number that I serve each month… not only do I get the privilege to work with them, but they also get the privilege to work with me.”
Irene DeJesus
PERSONAL FAMILY LAWYER
“I feel the same happiness in my career as I did during my 30 years as a nurse because I am impacting the lives of my clients in real, meaningful, and far-reaching ways.”
Now it's your turn
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