Flexibility is a very important thing for Kate.

With three children and all of the extracurricular activities that accompany them, it was very important to Kate to be involved. That's why she sampled several different legal careers to find the right fit for her family.

She started traditionally. After graduating from Vanderbilt School of Law, she clerked for two years with the U.S. District Court in Texas (Southern District) and then worked for more than seven years at a 600-attorney firm in Houston. It was a very promising career track, but one that didn't provide the flexibility she needed with her new (and growing) family.

“We decided to move to Atlanta to be closer to family, and it was a good time to change to a schedule that allowed me to spend more time with my children,” said Kate, who (upon arrival in Atlanta) first worked parttime for a firm, then for the U.S. District Court of Northern Georgia, then for a nonprofit, all of which provided some sort of regular work schedule. “I tried almost everything, it seemed; but when I found Counsel On Call, it was clear it was what I had been searching for.”

Through Counsel On Call, Kate has been able to do the majority of her work from home. She's able to get the kids off to school in the morning, work from her home office from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., then pick the kids up and take them to their various activities in the afternoon. After dinner and homework, there's often time to do more work if she wants or needs to.

“It's really great. I usually get a decent amount of lead time on my assignments, so I can get everything done on a schedule that fits my needs,” she said, noting that she does a lot of research and writing. “My kids usually have Girl Scouts, basketball, cheerleading, soccer or some other activity going on in the afternoons, and I don't have to rely on other parents to transport them. It's nice to have the ability to be there when I need to be.”

Working with Counsel On Call has also provided time for Kate's other hobbies, which include her artwork, scrapbooking, taking art and Spanish language classes two times per week, and travel. She and her husband celebrated their wedding anniversary by visiting Russia, and they have taken family trips to Charleston, S.C., and Colorado recently. She also volunteers at her kids' school, teaching an art class once a month.

“For people in situations similar to mine, who want to keep practicing law after having a family — and to be very involved with their families — Counsel On Call provides a great career choice,” she said. “It allows you to work how you want to work and do all the things you want to do. I highly recommend it.”