Meet Tabitha Jecmen of Hallier Lawrence in Central

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tabitha Jecmen.

Tabitha, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Growing up, I don’t know that I ever said, “I want to be a divorce attorney.” But I was always intrigued by the law. I recall a school project in elementary school where the assignment was to sent a letter to someone we admired and found inspirational. I wrote to Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Her office wrote me back and encouraged me to continue to pursue my dreams. I remember the excitement of receiving a letter with the embossed return address from the United States Supreme Court.

In college, I studied English, Journalism and History, but after college, I didn’t feel ready for law school and I was anxious to get out of school and be on my own. I found myself working as an editor at World Book Encyclopedia in Chicago. One of the articles we were working on was about forest fires. It seemed only fitting to include a picture of Smokey the Bear. Interestingly, Smokey’s image is protected by a Congressional Act that regulates how it can be used. I started researching the Congressional Act and I found the congressional history so interesting that I started thinking about law school.

I always thought that I would be drawn to trademark or copyright law given my journalism background, but that never inspired me. I have had the opportunity to work in a lot of different areas of the law. In law school, I clerked for a criminal defense attorney. As a 3L I practiced at the county attorney’s office under the supervision of licensed attorneys. After law school, I worked in legal malpractice, personal injury, real estate and corporate law, but it wasn’t until I started working in family law that I felt my calling. Family law is a unique practice area where you can help not only your client but the whole family.

Great, 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?
“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.”– Vince Lombardi

When I was young I suffered from test anxiety. It seems trivial, but I remember studying for hours, then the day of the test I would get anxious, feel sick to my stomach, and forget everything I had studied. I have a horrific memory of vomiting right before a 4th grade science test. Yes, 4th grade, I know, it seems silly now, but in my mind that science test was everything. I would put so much pressure on myself to do well, that I ended up failing.

The irony should not be lost on anyone that I selected a career that required passing a two day bar exam (after three years of school and crushing student loan debt). It is so easy to let fear control us, and dictate what we can or cannot do, but we are capable of so much more than we think we are. I ended up taking not one, but two bar exams, Illinois in 2005 and Arizona in 2006. I passed them both on the first try.

I understand the stress and anxiety of stepping outside your comfort zone, and perhaps that’s why I enjoy being a family law attorney. Each one of my clients is starting a new journey, beyond their comfort zone, and there is a great deal of fear about what that looks like and how they will handle it.

Please tell us about your business.
Hallier Lawrence is a family law firm. We help clients through divorce, legal separation and paternity cases, as well as post-divorce matters such as modifications of child support, legal decision-making and parenting time. As a firm, we believe that most cases can be resolved without a trial, and we help explore amicable agreements without the necessity of litigation. Of course, if agreements aren’t possible, we are skilled litigators in the courtroom and we are ready to advocate for our clients.

My passion is assisting families in preserving and maintaining family values. Regardless of who is seeking the divorce, it is a difficult time for the entire family. The end of any relationship brings sadness and it may not be entirely due to the current circumstances, but also grieving the happiness and promise that was once thought to be in the future.

Although mediation and settlement is certainly the best way to finalize a case, it requires both parties to work together. Likely the most difficult part of a divorce is that you have lost your trust in the person that was once your greatest confidant. That feeling of vulnerability leads to suspicion and can make settlement difficult. It may take time for each party to grieve and be ready to move forward with settlement. Other times settlement will simply not be possible, and a judge will need to decide. Each client and each case is different, there is no one size fits all solution.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I grew up in the Midwest. My favorite childhood memories are spending the summers with my grandparents and going to their lake house in Indiana. I loved being on the water every day and spending time with family.

Pricing:

• Tabitha’s hourly rate is $400. She will quote a retainer at the time of any consultation.

Contact Info:

• Address: 3216 N. 3rd Street
  Phoenix, Arizona 85023
• Website: www.hallierlaw.com
• Phone: 602-285-5500
• Email: tjecmen@hallierlaw.com

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