We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jolee Vacchi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jolee, thanks for joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?
I knew that I didn’t want my law firm to be named after me (i.e., The Law Office of Jolee Vacchi). To me, this felt really stuffy and old-school. I plan to add more attorneys to the firm, and I want my clients to be just as jazzed to have another lawyer as the lead attorney on their case as they would be to have me, and that’s tough to do when one person’s name is at the top of the firm letterhead and on the door. I decided on Foundations Family Law & Mediation Center for a few reasons. First, I’m a big fan of alliteration, and Foundations Family Law fit that bill! In my line of work, my clients are navigating a monumental time of transition and uncertainty in their lives. “Foundations” evokes positivity and strength as we help our clients to build a solid foundation for a future filled with freedom, stability, and peace of mind. Finally, I am a certified mediator and collaboratively-trained attorney. It was important for me to include “Mediation Center” in our name because I firmly believe that there is a simpler and better way to resolve family law conflicts. Instead of increasing conflict through traditional litigation methods, we prioritize using mediation and strategic attorney negotiations to amicably disentangle family law issues and optimize results for our clients.
Jolee, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be an attorney. There weren’t any lawyers in my family, and I didn’t know any lawyers growing up, but the law was always my calling. I went to law school right after undergrad and focused my studies and internships on family law, domestic violence, and mediation. After graduation, I passed the Bar Exam in 2 states (Massachusetts and Rhode Island) and accepted a position at my law school alma mater working as the Assistant Director of Admissions. I worked in that role for 7 years helping other prospective law students achieve their dream of attending law school. I enjoyed my time working in higher education administration, but the practice of law still called to me like a siren song. When my oldest daughter was starting kindergarten, I thought: “It’s now or never,” and I started applying to entry-level associate attorney positions. As luck would have it, a friend that I went to law school with had opened up her own family law practice and she hired me. Over the course of 4 years, I managed hundreds of my own family law cases, and rose the ranks at the firm to the role of Supervising Attorney. Earlier this year, I took another leap of faith and opened up my own firm– Foundations Family Law & Mediation Center, where we strive to resolve family law conflicts as painlessly and peacefully as possible. I created Foundations Family Law to be an intentionally different law firm. Our approach is caring and dignified. While not afraid to utilize strong tactics if needed, the preferred method is respectful and amicable, especially when children are involved. This is the way that family law should be practiced, and I’m extremely proud to offer an alternative to the traditional “scorched earth” tactics that are far too often utilized unnecessarily in divorce and custody cases.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
My firm is virtual, and we do not maintain a brick-and-mortar presence, which significantly cut down on startup costs. I used a couple thousand dollars of my own savings along with a few thousand from supportive family members to pool together my initial capital, which was under $5,000 total. I also opened up a 0% APR business credit card and have (thankfully) been able to pay that off every month with revenue generated from the business.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
So far, the most effective strategy for our firm to grow our clientele has been through personal relationships. I’ve received referrals from other attorneys that I already had established relationships with. I am also very active in parenting Facebook groups in my local area. I joined a membership for female entrepreneurs in the Boston-area that has over 40,000 members and have made incredible connections in that particular group. Finally, I’ve also received referrals from previous clients, which are the most meaningful to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://foundationsfamilylaw.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/FoundationsFamilyLaw/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoundationsFamilyLaw
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundations-family-law-mediation-center/
- Other: I co-host a weekly podcast with a Certified Divorce Coach called Divorce Detox https://divorce-detox.com/ which is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Image Credits
Christopher Vacchi