Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Rikard, Lauren Ward, and Ra’na Heidari. Them and their team share their story with us below:
The trio of ladies including myself, Lauren Ward, and Ra’na Heidari acquired ownership of a 20+ year-old law firm called A Business Law Firm. Our firm has been around for some time. The mission and vision of the firm have not changed. We have always been a business-centric firm – as indicated by our name – and our goals moving forward remain focused on that founding vision. I don’t think any of us set out on the legal career path with the goal of operating a woman-owned business law firm. However, upon establishing ourselves as lawyers and after working in this practice area, we all noticed that there existed a need and desire for what we do and what we represent. We are all South Carolina natives and we prioritize serving our state through volunteer and pro bono work.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Interestingly, none of us had connections to the legal industry within our professional circles or families when we decided to pursue a law degree. Though this is not particularly unique, it is certainly a hurdle or an obstacle, given that the legal industry so heavily relies on connectivity and relationships. We each had to rely truly on our work ethic and academic ability to establish ourselves in this field, including getting that first vital law clerk internship to having referral sources from other lawyers, professionals, and clients today. For each of us it has been a bit of a ‘boot straps’ journey, if you will; but a journey that we each are proud of nonetheless. We have a lot of interns working with us and we speak to young students who are interested in pursuing a legal career. One question we are asked often is do we feel being a female lawyer is more difficult? In all candor, I would say, at times, yes it has. Those times though thankfully, are few and far between, but yes, they are there. In some cases or in some situations, it feels as though we have to prove ourselves before we are seen as capable. I, personally, reflected on this quite deeply when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed. Setting aside policy stances, she created a foothold for women in society and of course, in the legal field in particular. I took the time then to measure my deep appreciation for how hard she worked to ‘prove herself’ so that I did not have to work as hard to do so now.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a law firm that focuses on business law and estate planning. I think a huge misconception about lawyers is they are there only when you ‘get into trouble’ and that your interaction with them is very transactional; such that you only use them to handle that one ‘issue,’ and that is it. We strive to approach things differently. We are known for creating sustaining relationships with our clients in which we get to know the particularities and growth goals of the business so that we can create a plan to ensure the legal health of the business and make their goals attainable. Many folks come to us when they are looking to make sure their business and estate assets are in order; to prevent any issues from arising. We seek to put in place the legal infrastructure, such as contracts, asset protection plans, intellectual property protections, that your business needs to hopefully prevent any need for lawsuits. Then, of course, if you find yourself in need of a trial lawyer, we can handle that as well.
We also work with our estate planning clients to understand exactly what their goals are for their assets, and design a plan that best meets those goals. We are a female-owned firm and we have found that to be pretty unique given our practice areas. Our practice area interacts with a lot of other practice areas as well, so we do have the occasion to partner with other law firms. For example, a family lawyer who is handling the divorce for a couple that owned a business together. We can assist and ensure that the ‘business divorce’ is also handled correctly.
I think we are most proud of the achievements we see our clients reach. As cliche as it may sound, we are truly excited when we see a client that has achieved a business milestone, gets a sense of relief from their estate planning finally being in order, or is able to amicably settle a lawsuit. We also get a huge sense of satisfaction by serving our communities. We each engage in various pro bono and volunteer activities, in which we use our skills as lawyers to provide some sort of legal assistance. One event we particularly enjoy doing is Wills Clinics in which we prepare wills and powers of attorney for those in need or for first responders.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Don’t be afraid to make the cold call – and don’t stop after one rejection. Finding a mentor is not about finding someone that has the job that you ultimately want to have or even a job in your same practice area. It is about finding someone that you think does their job with professionalism, respect, and ethics. If you find yourself wanting to mirror ‘how’ they go about doing their job, rather than ‘what’ job they are doing, then that is the person you should seek to be your mentor.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.abizlaw.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/abizlawllc?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABizLaw/
Image Credits
Chelsea Rikard
Lauren Ward
Ra’na Heidari
