Today we’d like to introduce you to Dorothy Lawrence.
Hi Dorothy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started Dorothy Butler Law Firm a little less than eleven years ago at my kitchen table. I was a single mother to an infant and the price of child care made working elsewhere cost prohibitive. I was also struggling to find employment as an attorney in Austin – I was a young mother who had no degrees from a university or law school in central Texas. I thought, let me start a law firm. I can work for a year or so, get some experience, and then someone will consider hiring me. Life doesn’t always work out how we think it will though – after one year, my little law firm was so busy I needed to hire my first associate attorney. Fast forward ten years later, and Dorothy Butler Law Firm is a thriving law firm that now employs five attorneys and four support staff members. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I definitely would say it’s been a road with some potholes along the way. However, it’s mostly been an uphill road.
The hardest thing for me has been finding quality team members – when attorneys leave a law firm, it’s not as easy as just finding a new employee and substituting them into a case. Clients form a relationship with their attorney – and when someone is going through what is likely one of the most trying times of their life, it’s not easy to have a new attorney quickly gain their trust. We’ve seen attorneys come and go over the last decade so handling things as they leave has been a challenge.
I am lucky enough to say that I currently have a dream team working with me!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Dorothy Butler Law Firm is a business that was started to keep family first. Eleven years later, and family still comes first for us. Our team is a family that takes care of one another – the team also takes care of their clients.
We are a full-service law firm – offering services in the fields of tax, bankruptcy, real estate, business law, family law, estate planning, probate and criminal defense. What sets us apart from other law firms is that we are a full-service group – so if you’re going through a divorce and have questions about how to split things for taxes, we have the attorney that can help. Whatever your issue or worry, we have the attorney who can handle your issues and put you at ease. This is what we call Financial Freedom.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think one of the most important qualities a business owner can have is resilience. One has to be able to recover when a team member leaves, a client fires you, or you lose a case. All of these things will happen – and a business owner has to remember that it IS just business. It’s a hard thing to learn and it’s even harder to not take things personally – but it’s crucial in order to succeed.
Contact Info:
- Email: dorothy@dorothybutlerlawfirm.com
- Website: www.dorothybutlerlawfirm.com
- Instagram: yourtrendylawyer
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/dorothybutlerlawfirm
Image Credits
Romina Olson
William Bowling
Adam Moroz
