Young attorney finds a solid home at law firm from a remote locale
Less than four years into her legal career, attorney Emma Dedman already has made her presence known at the New Orleans-based defense litigation firm of Degan, Blanchard & Nash.
And for much of the past year, Dedman has done it from afar – in England and most recently in her adopted home of Jacksonville, Fla., where her husband is stationed at a naval base aboard the USS Winston S. Churchill, a destroyer named after the legendary World War II figure and British prime minister.
But more about that later.
What matters now is that Dedman has not missed a beat by working remotely, validating the confidence displayed in her by the firm’s managing partner Sid Degan.
Degan, one of the founding partners of the firm that opened in 1991 and now totals 45 attorneys, has high praise for Dedman, a 2019 graduate of the Tulane University School of Law who also holds a bachelor’s degree in management from Tulane.
“Emma is an incredibly valuable asset to this law firm, proving herself first as a law clerk when in law school then as an associate after joining us full time following graduation (in 2019),” said Degan. “I can’t say enough good things about her.”
Degan’s interest in her future role with the firm was evident when he called Dedman into an office meeting last year. She presumed it was to discuss an upcoming case assignment. Instead, Degan was more interested in seeing how her wedding plans were going and how the firm could accommodate her work schedule as the big day approached in October 2022.
“My daughter is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, so I’m particularly sensitive to Emma’s situation and the challenges that go along with being in a military family,” Degan remarked. “We, as a firm, were concerned for her and wanted to help her make a smooth transition to a new life.”
And for much of the past year, Dedman has done it from afar – in England and most recently in her adopted home of Jacksonville, Fla., where her husband is stationed at a naval base aboard the USS Winston S. Churchill, a destroyer named after the legendary World War II figure and British prime minister.
But more about that later.
What matters now is that Dedman has not missed a beat by working remotely, validating the confidence displayed in her by the firm’s managing partner Sid Degan.
Degan, one of the founding partners of the firm that opened in 1991 and now totals 45 attorneys, has high praise for Dedman, a 2019 graduate of the Tulane University School of Law who also holds a bachelor’s degree in management from Tulane.
“Emma is an incredibly valuable asset to this law firm, proving herself first as a law clerk when in law school then as an associate after joining us full time following graduation (in 2019),” said Degan. “I can’t say enough good things about her.”
Degan’s interest in her future role with the firm was evident when he called Dedman into an office meeting last year. She presumed it was to discuss an upcoming case assignment. Instead, Degan was more interested in seeing how her wedding plans were going and how the firm could accommodate her work schedule as the big day approached in October 2022.
“My daughter is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, so I’m particularly sensitive to Emma’s situation and the challenges that go along with being in a military family,” Degan remarked. “We, as a firm, were concerned for her and wanted to help her make a smooth transition to a new life.”
Bobby Rudolph
Rudolph Friedmann LLP, Boston, Massachusetts
Rudolph Friedmann LLP, Boston, Massachusetts
Before becoming an attorney, what was your first job?
During college, I worked in the customer development center for one of New England’s largest car dealerships. We handled all phone and internet leads for the company’s 25-plus dealerships. It taught me how to sell and the importance of being responsive to customers. I closed more sales than many of the full-time career salespeople. It was a great college job, and that sales experience still proves helpful today. I also worked at Boston Private Bank as an intern in its investment management and commercial lending groups.
During college, I worked in the customer development center for one of New England’s largest car dealerships. We handled all phone and internet leads for the company’s 25-plus dealerships. It taught me how to sell and the importance of being responsive to customers. I closed more sales than many of the full-time career salespeople. It was a great college job, and that sales experience still proves helpful today. I also worked at Boston Private Bank as an intern in its investment management and commercial lending groups.
Coffee & Conversation
Monday, June 12th, 2023 at 10am EDT
All Things Public Records
Kylie Schmidt
Ogborn Mihm LLP, Denver, Colorado
Monday, June 12th, 2023 at 10am EDT
All Things Public Records
Kylie Schmidt
Ogborn Mihm LLP, Denver, Colorado
If you are interested in being featured in a future edition of the Primerus™ Weekly, please contact Katie Bundyra at kbundyra@primerus.com.
Fall 2023 Global Conference offers chance to broaden your ‘Horizons’
A timeless proverb, which most historians attribute to Benjamin Franklin, recommends that if you are faced with a challenging task, you should ask a busy person to do it.
With that piece of advice in mind, I’m asking each of you – busy as you undoubtedly are at this moment – to do yourself a favor, one that has the potential to be a game changer on both a personal and professional level.
Register today for the 2023 Primerus™ Global Conference, slated for October 26-28 in the historic city of Versailles, just minutes from the French capital of Paris.
With that piece of advice in mind, I’m asking each of you – busy as you undoubtedly are at this moment – to do yourself a favor, one that has the potential to be a game changer on both a personal and professional level.
Register today for the 2023 Primerus™ Global Conference, slated for October 26-28 in the historic city of Versailles, just minutes from the French capital of Paris.
Take Time for a Break
Too many of us work through lunch, push to bill that additional 0.1, or refuse to stop working because we “have too much to do.”
Well, our brains actually work in two modes—focused and diffused. The diffused state is almost like daydreaming. Studies have shown that people solve their most difficult problems in that diffused state.
And if that isn’t motivation enough to take a break every once in a while, consider the fact that breaks make us more productive and more creative; they increase the retention of information; they improve decision-making; and we cultivate healthier habits (i.e., making a healthy lunch) when we allow ourselves the break. While 17 minutes is considered the optimal amount of time for a break, even five minutes allows your prefrontal cortex the rest it needs to enhance these benefits. Next time you think “I have too much to do,” consider it a service to your client and to yourself to take a refreshing break.
Well, our brains actually work in two modes—focused and diffused. The diffused state is almost like daydreaming. Studies have shown that people solve their most difficult problems in that diffused state.
And if that isn’t motivation enough to take a break every once in a while, consider the fact that breaks make us more productive and more creative; they increase the retention of information; they improve decision-making; and we cultivate healthier habits (i.e., making a healthy lunch) when we allow ourselves the break. While 17 minutes is considered the optimal amount of time for a break, even five minutes allows your prefrontal cortex the rest it needs to enhance these benefits. Next time you think “I have too much to do,” consider it a service to your client and to yourself to take a refreshing break.
This Wellness Tip was brought to you by the Quality of Life Subcommittee of the Primerus™ Quality Assurance Board and Featured Contributor Nicole Quintana. We also welcome your tips, which can be submitted to Paige Neirman at pneirman@primerus.com for publication consideration.
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For start-up businesses that are owner-managed and do not have their own in-house counsel, Primerus™ is an ideal solution to meet your legal needs. Our global reach coupled with our trusted advisor and strategic partner programs provide a unique combination of services seldom found in any law firm, regardless of size.
For start-up businesses that are owner-managed and do not have their own in-house counsel, Primerus™ is an ideal solution to meet your legal needs. Our global reach coupled with our trusted advisor and strategic partner programs provide a unique combination of services seldom found in any law firm, regardless of size.
October 26-29, 2023
2023 Global Conference
Versailles, France
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2023 Global Conference
Versailles, France
SAVE THE DATE & CHECK YOUR PASSPORT IS UP TO DATE!
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