Being a Part of a “Family” Law Firm: Tips for Success in Practicing with Family Members

My mom and I work together as attorneys in a “family” law firm; we are family serving clients in family law and criminal defense matters. Deciding to work with a family member can be a difficult decision. How are we going to get along in a work environment? Is work going to interfere with our personal relationship? What if things go south? These are all questions that likely every individual who has decided to either start a law firm with a family member or join a family member’s law firm have asked themselves, including me.

Here is my biggest pro and con based upon my personal experiences working for a family member, who I have the privilege to call “mom” when we are not in the office — first as a legal assistant throughout undergraduate and law school, and now as a fellow attorney as we practice law together.

Pro:

Unlike an employee who maybe treats working for a law practice as simply a place of employment and a means to receive a paycheck to support themselves, we have a vested interest in the success of the practice. We both have invested time, energy, and resources into building a successful law practice and continue to invest this same energy to keep the practice going. The success of the business is a shared goal.

Con:

Sometimes work can spill over to family time: Much like other people who are self-employed and business owners, the workday never really ends. There is no guarantee of someone issuing a paycheck every two weeks; we work for every dollar that is earned. The work-life balance can be blurred. We have often found ourselves eating dinner and talking about cases or hearings coming up. Or, calling each other just to say “good morning” and then ending up reviewing e-mails that came in late the night before or early in the morning, or talking about that trial brief that is due.

Here are a few tips for success for others either currently working with a family member or finding themselves in a position where they are contemplating doing so.

Tip #1: Leave family business at the office door.

What does this mean exactly? That family disagreement you had the night before, that is left at the office door the next morning. In the office it needs to be harmonious, and the less tension the better. Working in a tense environment is hard enough, and family tension can be the worst type of tension. Walk into the office and focus on what you are there for: to work together. Then, find time after the workday to chat about that personal disagreement and work things out.

Tip #2: Schedule time to spend time as family and not work colleagues.

A work-life balance is essential. Without a proper work-life balance, the element of family can be lost. The routine of just being sterile work colleagues always talking about cases and never interacting as family members can creep in. I would encourage anyone who is in this situation currently to remember that the family title came well before the work colleague title. So, keep scheduling that family dinner every Sunday. Or, take that hike or beach walk together just to enjoy time together as family. Family time is just as important as work time.

Tip #3: Remember, you are family members first.

As lawyers, our jobs can be stressful, tense, and sometimes downright exhausting. Tensions can run high. It is important to acknowledge if the family member bond is being strained because of working together. If this time comes, I would encourage you to re-evaluate if working together is worth possibly impairing a personal relationship. And, do not be afraid to have those tough conversations if things start to boil over. Talk it out. After all, that is your family member first.

Overall, based upon my personal experience, I love working with a family member. We get to work on cases together and grow our relationship, both personal and professional. And yes, we sometimes talk about cases at all hours of the day, but we have found a rhythm to separate work from family time. Is it always smooth sailing working with a family member every single day? Absolutely not. But, is it worth it to work alongside someone you get to call “mom”, “dad” or “sister”? I would answer absolutely yes.

*This article is in memory of Erin Leslie, Esq., a fellow new lawyer and friend.