insights, news and announcements for our members, colleagues and community
The November Family Law Section breakfast welcomed Gregory Barnes as the guest speaker. Family Law Section breakfasts are held on the first Thursday each month. Be sure to check the FLS page on the DeKalb Bar Association website for more…
DBA members gathered for the fall social in November at The Marlay House. Thank you to our DBA Fall Happy Hour sponsors, John Hyatt and Dixon James. Click any photo to launch a slideshow:
You are cordially invited! Thursday, Dec. 8, 6-9 p.m. The Solarium at Historic Scottish Rite 321 West Hill St. Decatur, Ga. 30030 RSVP by Dec. 2 DeKalb Bar Association Admission per person: $30 members in advance; $50 nonmembers; $50 at…
Thursday, Nov. 17 1 p.m.-4:45 p.m. Jury Assembly Room, DeKalb County Courthouse 556 N. McDonough St., Decatur DeKalb Bar Association sponsors a panel discussion concerning current issues in DUI law and DeKalb County’s DUI court. Panelists: DeKalb State Court Judge…
Family Law Section Breakfast Thursday, Nov. 3, 7:30-9 a.m., Old Decatur Courthouse, 101 E. Court Square Fall Social Thursday, Nov. 10, 5:30-7:30 p.m., The Marlay House, 426 W. Ponce de Leon Ave. in downtown Decatur Other Local Bar Events North…
Adriana de la Torriente
Torriente Marum, LLC
www.torrientemarum.com
My first job out of undergrad in the late ’90s was in the management consulting practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the big five accounting firms. There I learned the importance of setting and managing client expectations – a skill that served me well in my careers as a management consultant and a software developer. Now in my second (or third) career as an attorney, it is the skill I have found the most transferable from my corporate days to my work as a family law attorney. Whether you are delivering a $5 million software implementation or getting someone divorced, how you set and manage those client expectations make the difference in your client’s experience and your relationship with your client, both of which have long-term effects on your firm’s bottom line. Clients who have unrealistic expectations from the beginning are more likely to be disappointed and not provide your name as a referral in the future.
Sherry Boston, DeKalb County Solicitor-General, has launched the new Pre-Trial Diversion Program (PTD) in DeKalb County. As part of the program, low-level, first-time offenders will complete conditions that are tailored to their particular criminal charges and geared towards breaking the cycle of criminal activity. Through counseling, classes and community service, offenders will be guided toward alternative methods of managing and understanding the behavior that led to their criminal activity, thereby reducing the likelihood that they will commit future crimes.
Offenders will be charged $300 to participate in the program and the monies will be deposited directly to the County General Fund. Those who complete the program successfully will receive a dismissal of the misdemeanor charge(s) from the DeKalb County Solicitor-General’s Office and their case may be eligible for expungement. As a result, the offender can avoid developing a criminal record.