Lori A Vella

If you asked me at 8-years-old what I wanted to be, you would have heard, “I want to be a lawyer.”  I enjoyed the thought that I could breakthrough and become the first person in my family to pursue higher education beyond college.  Becoming a lawyer meant something to me, and eventually, being a lawyer did too.  It means advocating for people.  It means offering comfort and solace in tricky legal situations.  It means using creativity to find solutions.

I did not start out owning my own law firm.  I used to work for a large and prestigious multi-state law firm in downtown Tampa (prior to that time I was a judicial law clerk at the esteemed Fifth District Court of Appeal).  But, after 14 years and an advancement to partnership, having my son Gianni changed my priorities.  I withdrew from the partnership to raise my son full-time.  It was then that I realized the overwhelming “parental fears.”  I had many concerns about his future!

Several months after Gianni was born, I started reaching out to other moms in the Tampa Bay community.  Over the years, we formed a strong network.  I heard their stories, shared their worries and happiness, and began to understand that my fears were not unique.  Through these relationships, I saw a great need for these parents to communicate, and make official, their estate planning and guardianship planning concerns. But what’s more, these parents would benefit by talking to another parent–a person that understood their needs.

I felt it was an invaluable service to have someone that would draft their legal documents with the same concerns she had for her own family, and would anticipate the types of questions and concerns that may arise.  And, from that concept, my law firm was born.  I am helping you plan from a parent’s perspective.

To further my unique concept, I needed a different environment from the formal law firms I knew.  I imagined my own issues with finding child care, trusting my son in the care of others, and feeling tired from sleepless nights. I didn’t have to do things the old-fashioned way.  The days of getting decked out in your Sunday best to visit your lawyer’s office are now gone.  In their place are virtual and mobile law firms that provide the same services with lower overhead costs, a more casual and relaxed atmosphere, and, in my case, a place where children are welcome–not excluded (as long as the parents can concentrate!). But even more fitting, these law firms accomplish the bulk of work with their clients electronically.  Thus, when you correspond with my law firm, phone calls, video conferences, email communication and scanned documents are allowable.  I still offer traditional services as well for the clients that prefer that route.  Either way, welcome to an entirely new concept of having a trusted advisor that is available on a more relaxed scheduled that fits your busy lives.