Before becoming an attorney, Judy was an elementary school teacher, then a co-owner of a Sylvan Learning Center. Judy started law school after the age of 50 with the intention of practicing adoptive law. She and her husband were blessed with three adopted children and her heart went out to those in situations similar to hers. While she hoped to practice this type of law, she was not able to support herself doing it. Judy chose to go into family law and is convinced now that it was in God’s plan all along for her to do so.

Judy was blessed to grow up in a Christian home and attended church all her life. When she was in her early teens, Judy made a personal decision to accept Christ and dedicate her life to him. Now that she has been practicing family law for eight years, Judy can look back on her life and see how God prepared her for such a time as this.

Many of the cases Judy deals with involve couples seeking divorce. These cases provide many challenges and opportunities. Couples seeking divorce can choose litigation or mediation. Mediation requires that the two parties come to an attorney as the mediator. The attorney is the neutral third party. Typically this type of divorce proceeding is the most peaceful and collaborative way. When a couple comes to Judy for mediation she does not try to get the mediation done as quickly as possible, as many attorneys do. Judy takes time to counsel each couple with wisdom and compassion. She asks them if they have gone to counseling and if they have done everything they could do to save their marriage. If they have children, Judy tells them that they owe it to their children to try to work it out. Finally, she asks them if there is anything that would save their marriage.

When asked if Judy shares her faith with her clients, she responds with a determined and compassionate "yes." If she senses that her clients have a belief in God, Judy jumps right in to talk about her faith and how it has transformed her life. Occasionally she will ask her clients if they would like to pray with her. Judy estimates that five to 10 percent of couples she counsels reconcile. This is an impressive statistic that affects hundreds of lives, including those of many children and grandchildren.

Judy has posted a sign at eye level that people see when they leave her office. The sign contains the words of James 3:17, 18. "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." People often comment on the sign as they walk out the door. The angel statue on Judy’s desk gives further evidence that her faith in the Lord is her strength and her guide.

Judy is doing an incredible work for the Lord by caring for children and married couples. It is hard work, but with every client Judy sees another opportunity to bring peace to an individual who may only know conflict. While some attorneys measure their success by how much they earn, Judy measures her success differently—one relationship at a time. |L

OTHER COLUMNS:
June 15, 2008 - A time saver who knows the soul saver
May 18, 2008 - Working by faith 24/7
April 20, 2008 - Motown, music, and ministry
March 23, 2008 - Be One Sportswear
February 24, 2008 - Fighting for the faith
January 27, 2008 - Healing for the Healer
December 30, 2007 - Parenting faithfully
December 2, 2007 - Building physical and spiritual strength
November 4, 2007 - Taking Christ into the classroom
October 7, 2007 - Changing lives through music
August 12, 2007 - Strategies for business and life
June 17, 2007 - Finding fulfilling work
May 20, 2007 - Faithful to his calling
April 22, 2007 - An unstoppable witness
March 25, 2007 - The perfect plan
February 25, 2007 - Teaching with faith
January 28, 2007 - Changing a community—one event at a time
December 24, 2006 - Business by the book
November 26, 2006 - Growing through life’s storms
October 29, 2006 - Giving God his best