Hello, world. This is my very first blog post…ever. I am not a writer by any stretch of the imagination. To be honest, I am quite nervous about starting a blog. However, I made the decision and here goes nothing.
In my first post, I wanted to introduce myself as a person and let everyone know what I’m all about. It’s more than just my profile on my website or what’s listed on my resume. I want people to know me on a personal level. I plan to focus subsequent blog posts on particular matters within various areas of the law.
About 1 year ago (while I was on maternity leave), I made the huge decision to start my own business. My husband and I decided that we did not want to put our son in child care. Starting my own business and being my own boss enabled me to stay home with our son, yet continue my career. The scariest part was the thought of not having guaranteed income. I put together a business plan and got all the necessary financing and documentation in place. I officially started running my home-based law firm in September 2015.
I’m a sole practitioner without an assistant. I am the lawyer and the assistant rolled into one. I am a full time mother, and part time lawyer. I am very grateful to be able to stay home with my son and continue my career growth in my chosen field. Having a young child makes it difficult to have telephone conversations, meet with clients, and get work done. The great thing about being your own boss is that you choose your own hours. I get work done at odd hours, and not necessarily during regular business hours. I am not always able to answer the phone, but I will return voicemails when I am able to.
It can be intimidating to speak with or meet with a lawyer. Some lawyers may come across as arrogant and place themselves on a pedestal, thinking that they are better than everyone else simply by the fact that they have a law degree. My personality is the opposite of arrogant. I am actually quite shy (hence the reason I focus on solicitor work, instead of areas where I’d need to step foot in a courtroom). I respect everyone. I am approachable, personable, laid back, and accomodating. I’m not driven by the almighty dollar and I don’t wear a ‘suit and tie’ everyday. I’m not the type of person to charge my clients the absolute maximum that I can. I’m honest and upfront with my fees. My fees are lower than some other law firms, since I don’t have as much of the overhead costs.
I think that it’s important to support local small businesses. I’m hoping everyone will see the value in the services that I’m offering. For right now, I’m just trying to get the word out there that I’m here, I’m available, and I have something to offer. Currently, I am the only law firm running a business in Penhold and I’m hoping that residents of Penhold use the local services. Of course, the scope of my service availability is not exclusive to the Penhold area. I’m happy to assist clients in Central Alberta, the Edmonton area, the Calgary area, and anywhere in between.
Clients can rest assured that my work is done with the utmost confidence and with professionalism. If there is something I don’t know, I tell the truth and find a solution. For those of you who think I would make a good fit in assisting with your legal needs, I can be contacted by phone, by text, by email, or through my website. You can also follow me on Twitter and like my Facebook page. That’s all for now.
Until next time…
Crystal Schening
