Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Melanie Hantze. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Melanie, thanks for joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

They were always supportive of what I wanted to do. They supported me as best they could financially but most importantly they told me that I could do anything I set my mind to and that no one was better than anyone else no matter their job nor their income. My mom would always say “everyone puts their pants on the same — one leg at a time.” Even though both of them worked full time, their vacations always included my sister and I and we did the things my sister and I wanted to do even if my parents would have liked to do something else. My mom worked in a bank and only had 2 weeks a year off. During those 2 weeks she would be hauling horses to the county and state fairs and hauling hay for the horses for the winter. My dad always had to work summers as he sometimes could not work in the winter due to the weather (he was a logger) — so if we had a chance to travel in the summer, he would sometimes have to stay home to work and the vacations were only my mom, sister and I. They both sacrificed a lot so we could have every opportunity. We were not rich but I never lacked for anything. In fact, my dad gave me the tractor he had so I could sell it and use the money to open my own law practice. I started my practice with $5,000 and have never operated in the red since I went out on my own in 1990. I have also never advertised but I never lack for clients even when I moved my practice from Oregon to Washington in 1999.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I went from high school to college (in Ashland, Oregon – Southern Oregon College is was called back then 1972) for an associate of science in secretarial work. Since I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, I thought I could work in an office in any industry until I found one I liked. So getting more training in secretarial work and still come out of it with a degree (associate) would be the best way to spend my college tuition. My parents had started a savings plan for me when I was little and I used that money plus my summer wages for my first year of college. Then I took out loans for my second year. My first job after college was as a secretary for a woman attorney (there were not many back in that time — 1974). She was not only a nice boss but was a great mentor. She encouraged me to take night classes to get a degree they now had to be a para-legal (kind of a glorified secretary with more responsibilities). I started taking night and weekend classes. Then later I decided to just go to law school and become an attorney. I had saved my money and with loans I started law school in 1981 at Willamette Law School in Salem, Oregon. After law school, I took the Oregon bar and went to work for a law firm in Portland doing mostly felony trials in criminal matters representing the defendant. Most new attorneys start out doing misdemeanor trials and work up to felony trials but not me. I had the opportunity to jump right in and take on difficult ones as I had good mentors at the firm to show me the ropes. I worked there for 2 years then I went to a different firm and did civil work. It was a nice change and I learned more. After a year 1/2 I decided to start my own practice so I could take the cases I wanted. I had already built up a client base from the last firm and many of the clients followed me. Then more clients came as referrals from former clients. Again, I never advertised but always had enough work. I never had staff. Being a secretary/paralegal for 7 years before law school, I already knew what a legal secretary had to do to help the attorney. It was easier for me to just do the secretarial work rather than train someone and always have to review their work. I started out doing mostly divorces, wills and a few adoptions and some contract work. Then in 1997, my husband moved to Washington (he was working for Intel) and I closed up my practice, took the Washington bar and opened an office in 1999 (after we adopted our son in 1998). I will be retiring in 5 years and have started to be even more selective in my cases. Now I mostly do probates, wills and adoptions. I no longer do divorces or any cases that are contested and require extensive trial work. Again, my clients all come from referrals and I am now in a position that I can be selective and only take the cases I enjoy and I find alternate counsel for the others. I think what sets me apart from most attorneys is that I am very friendly and don’t talk down to my clients. I try and explain things in a way that they understand what I am doing and why. I also don’t charge for every stamp, copy, or phone call, which I know they appreciate. My hourly rate is also on the low end of attorneys in this area with the same number of years we have worked. Since I do not have staff, I always am the one that answers the phone and I return all calls no later than the next day. and emails usually the same day. I find the clients love that as well.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

What has built my reputation are my clients. one area I practice in is doing foster care adoptions. There is a huge network of foster care families and apparently my name has been circulated over the years as the best attorney for foster care families to hire when they are at the stage of adopting the child(ren) they have had in foster care and now the child is available for adoption. Since I am the one they call the first have do over 40 adoptions a year.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Referrals from former clients. Advertising is the worst because it is so expensive and sometimes not a great return on your money. If you treat your client well and are personable, they will be telling their family and neighbors about you and you will be getting their business as well without spending money advertising.

Contact Info:

• Website: hantzelaw.com