Interview With Laurie Lee
How did you start The Legal Department?
I started this law firm in 2015 (at that time it was called Elevate Business Law) and it was the biggest risk I have ever taken. Although I had been a business attorney for a long time by then, I quickly discovered that I had a lot to learn about being a business owner. I took classes, attended workshops, hired coaches, interviewed other business owners, read a lot of books, found mentors, joined networks of professionals, and generally surrounded myself with as many successful business owners as I could find. People had told me that owning a business was a journey in personal development. That is very true. I had to learn to overcome my fears, my internal doubts, and my assumptions to be able to take the actions I needed to take. I love being a business owner providing business law advice to our professional service clients – I’ll never go back to the “other” side!
What do you do at The Legal Department?
Before I made the leap to entrepreneurship, I worked at a large firm doing mergers and acquisitions, international law, intellectual property and general business law. I’ve always been a business attorney and have extensive experience handling business deals. Now, I do those things for our professional service firm clients. I create ways we can better serve our clients while maintaining the high level of quality we provide in our legal work. It’s really about being willing to try new ways of practicing law that isn’t necessarily considered traditional. I consider myself an educator at heart and want our clients to come away from their interactions with us with the ability to make better business decisions.
What do you like most about what you do?
I love taking complicated legal concepts and explaining them in a creative way that makes them easier to understand and use. The law creates the framework for all business – it sets out the code of conduct we all have to follow in business. But the law is not always intuitive or simple. As professionals, our clients are highly educated and are experts in their field, so they have the ability to understand complex issues. However, when it comes to the law, most people tend to assume that it’s the “common sense” or “practical” answer. That’s usually not the case. The law has evolved into what it is today for a reason. Once it’s explained, business owners can make better decisions within the rules.
Who are your favorite clients to work with?
Business professionals who are trying to build a better business and want to continue growing no matter what stage of business they are in currently. These people understand the need to invest in the growth of their business and they realize that they can’t grow without a strong foundation. It’s so rewarding to help them put that infrastructure in place and then watch how they take off.
What is special or unique about helping professional service providers?
They help others. They are usually so passionate about what they do and want to do a good job for their clients, that they often neglect themselves in the process. They are busy helping others and overlook what they need to be doing for their own businesses. So it is incredibly satisfying to come in and help them with what they need – and to protect them. They’re helping others and we get to help them.
What are two words your friends would use to describe you?
Optimistic. Detailed.
Credentials
Honors Distinctions
- Jax Chamber Professional Women’s Council 2021 Women Business Owner of The Year
- SBA 2019 North Florida Woman Owned Business of the Year
- AV Preeminent® Peer-Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® (highest possible rating)
- Superb AVVO® Rating: 10 out of 10
- Regional Volunteer of the Year Award, America’s Small Business Development Center (2018)
- University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Florida Journal of International Law (2002-2003)
Bar Involvement
- Member of the Jacksonville Bar Association
- Vice-Chairman of the Jacksonville Bar Transactional Section (2016-2017)
- Chairman of the Jacksonville Bar Corporate & Business Law Committee (2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2020-2021)
- Member of the Jacksonville Bar Professionalism & Mentoring Committee
- Member of Fourth Judicial Circuit Attorney Grievance Review Committee (2020 – 2023)
- Member of the Florida Bar Business Law Section
- Member of the Florida Bar Small and Solo Firm Section (CLE Committee 2019 – 2020)
- Member of the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association
Business and Community Involvement
- Small Business Resource Network, President (2019, 2020)
- Small Business Resource Network, Program Chair (2016, 2017, 2018)
- Small Business Resource Network, Steering Committee (2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
- Member of the Women Business Owners of North Florida (Board Member 2020)
- Member of St. Johns Riverkeeper
- Volunteer for Junior Achievement of North Florida
- Member of the Jacksonville Historical Society
- Graduate of JAXBridges, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, Cohort February 2017
- Graduate of Small Business Executive Program, Jim Moran Institute, Class II June 2017
Speaking Engagements
- Keynote speaker at the Score Jacksonville Women’s Conference, “Connection: The Secret Ingredient to Success” in 2019.
- Host of the SBRN’s 20th Anniversary Conference, “Entrepreneur’s Entourage” in 2017.
- Presenter for the Florida Bar Solo & Small Firm Section CLE Webinar, “Law Firm Structures: Considerations When Combining Forces” in 2020.
- Expert Panelist at the City of Jacksonville Military Affairs and Veterans Department, “Vetreprenuer Summit” in 2019 and 2020.
- Creator and presenter of The Legal Department Workshop, “Small Business Tips for Collecting your Money” in 2022.
- Creator and presenter of the SCORE Webinar, “Legal Steps for Buying and Selling a Business” in 2022.
- Guest lecturer at UNF Coggin College of Business Entrepreneurship Class in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
- Creator and presenter of the Jacksonville Women Business Center’s 4-Part Workshop Series called “Legal Matters” in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
- Special guest on Buzz TV’s “Ask The Attorney” in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
- Creator and presenter of The Legal Department Webinar, “Legal Audit” in 2021.
- Creator and presenter of the Small Business Development Center Webinar, “Annual Governance” in 2021 and 2022.
- Online webinar presenter for the Small Business Development Center’s Exit Stage Left Program, “Transferring the Operations of Your Business When You Sell” in 2020.
- Online webinar presenter for the Small Business Development Center’s Exit Stage Left Program, “The Four Phases of Selling Your Business” in 2020.
- Online webinar presenter for the Small Business Development Center’s Exit Stage Left Program, “Asset Sale vs. Stock Sale When Selling A Business” in 2020.
- Creator and presenter of The Legal Department’s Webinar, “The Real Deal with Business Interruption Insurance: Do You Have It?” in 2020.
- Creator and presenter of The Legal Department’s Webinar, “Lease Issues During the Pandemic” in 2020.
- Creator and presenter of The Legal Department’s Webinar, “Re-Opening for Business: Liability Issues” in 2020.
- Presenter of the Florida Bar Solo & Small Firm Section Workshop, “How to Handle the Legal Structure of Law Firm Ownership” in 2019.
- Creator and host of the 6-Part Summer Series, “Conversations on Business Infrastructure” in 2019.
- Creator and presenter of The Legal Department’s Workshop, “Legal Infrastructure for Small Business Owners” in 2019.
- Presenter for City of Jacksonville JSEB Program, “Building a Stronger Business” in 2019.
- Creator and presenter of The Legal Department’s Webinar, “Legal Infrastructure” in 2019.
- Creator and presenter of the SCORE Jacksonville Webinar, “How to Select a Lawyer” in 2018.
- Speaker for the Small Business Resource Network Workshop, “ADA Website Compliance” in 2018.
- Creator and presenter of The Legal Department Workshop, “How to Use Contracts to Establish Good Business Relationships” in 2018.
- Speaker at the Women Business Owners Annual Retreat, “Taking Risks in Business” in 2018.
- Speaker at the CPA Roundtable, “Better Service Agreements for CPA’s” in 2018.
- Speaker for the Women in Financial Services Workshop, “Business Law Basics for Insurance Finance Professionals” in 2018.
- Speaker for the SCORE Jacksonville Workshop, “Business law Updates” in 2018.
- Co-Creator and presenter of The Legal Department’s Data Security Workshop, “Legal Requirements for Businesses” in 2017.
- Speaker for the One Spark Workshop, “Legal Life Jackets for Business Partners and Co-Founders Workshop” in 2016.
- Speaker for the Small Business Development Center’s Cyber Security Workshop in 2016.
- Interviewed for 1045 WOKV radio show on the topic, “Legal Issues for Business Owners” in 2015.
- Creator and presenter of The Legal Department’s Workshop, “Solicitation of Contributions Act” in 2015.
Publications
“The Business of Law: You Aren’t a Cobbler. You’re a Saddler. Part 1 Internal Relationships” The Florida Law Practice Link, Journal of Solo and Small Firm Section of the Florida Bar, Fall 2019
“The Business of Law: You Aren’t a Cobbler. You’re a Saddler. Part 2 External Relationships” The Florida Law Practice Link, Journal of Solo and Small Firm Section of the Florida Bar, Spring 2020
“Amid Revenue Struggles, Tenants, Landlords Can Find Common Ground” by Laurie Lee and Chris Hand published in the Jax Daily Record on June 4, 2020
