Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Flanagin.
Hi Jennifer, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Charleston, SC and attended Buist Academy and the Academic Magnet High School. I went on to study Philosophy at Davidson College in North Carolina and graduated with a fabulous degree and not a clue of what to do with it! I recalled my kindergarten career day when I dressed as a lawyer and told everyone that was what I wanted to do when I grew up. The idea stuck and sounded like a nice option for a philosophy major. I applied and was accepted to the University of South Carolina School of Law for law school where I thoroughly enjoyed the engaging, intelligent students and brilliant professors.
Upon graduation, I accepted a job in the Washington, DC area and worked up there for many years, first in criminal defense and then in real estate. After getting married and having 2 daughters, I realized it was hard to manage everything with no family around! So we packed up and moved back to Charleston in 2018. I accepted a job with a real estate firm and have really enjoyed working with real estate agents and lenders across the Lowcountry.
Moving back home has been wonderful for our family, with grandparents and cousins and aunts and uncles all close by. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my husband, Wiley, who has responded to a higher calling as a high school teacher at Lucy Beckham High School, and our 2 girls, Ellie and Avery. We enjoy attending local sports games, riding bikes, and going to the beach. I am an active volunteer with Pet Helpers and my church, Grace Church Cathedral. I am also very active with my children’s schools and their PTA.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Becoming a real estate attorney has been an interesting path for me. Upon graduating law school I wanted the glitz and glamor of the courtroom so I accepted a job at a small criminal defense firm. The cases were very interesting but I quickly realized that real-life court is not nearly as glitzy or glamarous as tv and movie court! I realized if I were going to switch law fields, I should do it sooner rather than later in my career. I had the opportunity to interview wtih a real estate firm in Virginia and immediately was interested in everything that goes into real estate transactions. I was hired and never looked back!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Buist, Byars & Taylor, LLC is a Charleston-based firm that has been in existence for over 60 years. The founding partner, Tommy Buist, was my mentor before I ever decided to go to law school and his knowledge, work ethic, and professionalism really confirmed my choice to become a lawyer. The firm is unique in that it began as a real estate firm and still has a very robust real estate practice; however, it was so well-managed, it has grown into so much more. Currenly, our firm has a large residential real estate department, extensive commercial real estate department, trusts, probate, estate planning and tax department, and a growing litigation department. This is so helpful in my line of work as a residential real estate attorney because so many of these issues come up on a daily basis and I have experts right down the hall upon whom I can rely and to whom I can refer.
I have thoroughly enjoyed being an attorney with this firm. I love working with my team and the agents who entrust their clients to me. I try to provide the type of customer service I would want in a business, particularly when such a large investment is at stake. I try to answer texts and phone calls promptly and respond to emails in a timely manner. Real estate is a very fast-moving area of law, and I enjoy that. My favorite part of my job is working with my realtors and lenders. I am so lucky to have the best realtors and lenders in town to work with and I look forward to my job every day!
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
An interesting fact about me is that I am a travel lover and spent my entire junior year of college studying abroad, not on 1 continent but 2! I spent my first semester in Edinburgh, Scotland and loved traveling around Europe. My second semester was spent in Sydney, Australia and I loved the opportunity to visit different parts of Australia, from the cultural capital of the country in Melbourne to the rainforsts and Great Barrier Reef in Queensland. That solidified the travel bug and I try to explore our wonderful planet as often as I can!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.buistbyars.com/
