I’m excited to launch my new blog, Keeping it Real! with this introductory post. This blog will explore topics related to law, relationships, communication, parenting and co-parenting, and problem solving. Join me here at Keeping it Real! as I share personal and professional experiences that may be helpful to you in shifting perspectives to help you manage the meaningful relationships in your life by maximizing effective communication. My hope is that by taking this journey together we can improve our relationships and reduce suffering for ourselves and those whom we love. This first post is an introduction of who I am and the services I offer. My hope is that a basic understanding of Civil Solutions, LLC will serve as a solid background for the substantive, topical posts that will follow this introductory post.
Civil Solutions, LLC
Since 1998 I have been a practicing attorney in Mississippi. I owned an active litigation practice for 23 years before pursuing my new practice, Civil Solutions, LLC, as a consultant and mediator. My primary work through Civil Solutions is focused on helping individuals and couples who are seeking a divorce in Mississippi to reach agreement regarding divorce, child custody/co-parenting arrangements, and property settlement issues and avoid lengthy and expensive contested divorce litigation. I do this through individual consultations, mediations with couples, teaching a co-parenting class called “Communication Skills for Co-Parents” along with two other attorneys, Co-Parenting/Communication Coaching Sessions, and presenting Continuing Legal Education seminars for attorneys. In addition, I consult with and assist individuals in negotiating disputes with businesses, insurance companies, and others with whom there may be conflict. My personal and professional experiences greatly inform my work in these areas. I have learned that problem solving in the legal and business world requires hard work, but is rewarding and cost-effective. Divorce is difficult under the best of circumstances, but it can be done in a way that promotes health and function of each member of the family, especially any children who are involved. Parenting and co-parenting are challenging – always – but when separation and divorce require parenting and co-parenting in separate homes and with new people added into the mix, it becomes extremely difficult. These are problems that persist in our communities and in our families and deserve intentional attention. My desire is to make a meaningful difference in how we communicate and relate to one another, and that is why I created Civil Solutions, LLC.
In addition to the services I offer to the community, I have a strong drive to serve the legal profession through volunteer efforts. I continue my very meaningful volunteer work through The Mississippi Bar to promote Collaborative Law in the family law setting, and to assist parents and families involved in the Juvenile Justice System.
The common themes in all of my work and service are collaboration, cooperation, and acting from common ground. In the legal world this falls into the category of “Alternative Dispute Resolution.” In the real world, it’s just simple “problem solving.” The goal is to manage relationships, through effective communication, to reduce our suffering and to preserve our peace. At its core, Civil Solutions is about helping people work out their differences in a healthy, functional way. Where conflict resolution is concerned, perspective and attitude make all the difference in the world. The whole of my experience as a divorced, remarried, mother-of-two, trial attorney, mediator, consultant and problem solver is wide and varied, and is what brings me to this page to share with you some of the most poignant observations I have made over the years in hopes that we can start a dialogue about problem solving that first looks to amicable resolution of the many conflicts and disputes we face as we interact with others in our daily lives. Click here to learn more about my legal career and how Civil Solutions got started.
How can Civil Solutions help you?
Do you ever shy away from having difficult, but necessary, conversations? Do you ever wish you had handled conflict with a loved one differently? Do you ever wish you could take back a text or email that you sent in the heat of the moment? Do you ever feel misunderstood and confused about why your spouse, ex-spouse, child, parent, sibling or friend reacted badly to something that you shared with them that was important to you? Do you find composing letters, emails, and texts to be challenging? If you answered yes to any of these, and if you would like individualized help with the next tricky conversation/letter/email/text, click here to book an appointment for a consultation.
If you and your spouse from whom you are divorcing want to try to work out a property settlement or child custody/visitation/support issues, I may be able to help you reach agreement to avoid lengthy and expensive court processes and appearances. Click here to book an appointment for a one-on-one consultation with me to determine the appropriate next step for you.
If you and your spouse or former spouse wish to cultivate more effective communication and co-parenting, click here to book an appointment for one-on-one Communication and Co-Parenting Coaching, and/or click here to register for the next Communication Skills for Co-Parents class.
If you have a dispute with a business partner or other individual and want help with effective communication that can lead to a mediated resolution of the conflict, click here to book an appointment to discuss what type of mediation services are appropriate for your situation. If you aren’t sure exactly what you need but know that you would prefer to work out your circumstances in an amicable way as opposed to adversarial litigation , click here to book an appointment for a general consultation.
I am honored to have you join me in this journey of Keeping it Real! If you have friends or family members who would benefit from exploring these topics, please feel free to share the link to this blog with them. Together we can work to find a peaceful, functional way of clearly communicating with those closest to us in an effort to preserve relationships. I promise to “keep it real” with you and hope you will do the same with me. If I can provide a service to you, please schedule an appointment with me. If you simply wish to come along for the journey of exploring these topics based upon my personal and professional experiences, check back periodically for new and updated blog posts here at this link: Keeping It Real!
My very best to each of you….
~Jenn
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