Written by
Penelope L. Hefner
Principal and Managing Attorney
“Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world…would do this, it would change the earth.” ~ William Faulkner
Every day that I speak up for a client, every day that I teach parents how to better co-parent, every day that I convince the other side to do the right thing, I am making a difference to a family. To William Faulkner, I am changing the world. It may not make the nightly news; but for my clients, it is everything.
I have always had a strong sense of right and wrong. I appreciate that life has some areas of gray, but there are some actions that I cannot and will not accept. If my client has been physically or emotionally harmed or if children are involved and being impacted negatively by the actions of the adults in their lives, I will not be a bystander. I have to act.
Whether my client is in shock, angry or simply confused, I will do everything in my power to right the wrong. I want to help. I want to be the one my client relies on for understanding and support while I educate him or her about their case and their options. I want to advocate on his or her behalf for what is best for their circumstance. And, I give my clients hope. Yes, it may get worse before it gets better, but I want them to know they are going to be alright and that life after their family law case can be just as good, if not better.
It is this innate desire to protect and support that led me to consider becoming an attorney early in my academic career. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with degrees in English and Spanish, I moved immediately into the next phase of my life – law school. After clerking with a family law firm, I was able to see how family law worked in private practice…and I knew there was no going back. Family law was, and continues to be, my passion.
When I meet with clients, they are not just another case to me. My clients are members of families, and often times those families are hurting. Making sure my clients have a good experience with my legal team and me is critical. Every client should be involved in their case- receiving regular updates, feeling comfortable to ask any questions, and knowing we are in their corner.
My leadership statement is: “I challenge others to be better.” I do that with my team and with my clients. Not only am I there to provide support and empathy to my client, but I am also there to give sound advice and even constructive criticism. Everything I do and say is with the intention and goal of being that voice of honesty, truth and compassion. Together, my clients and I can change the world (or at least a pretty special piece of it)!
