“I learned so much from you about law and life and I carry those lessons with me always. This A-, which turned into my first law school ‘A’ grade, would not have been possible without you. I love you, boss, and am so lucky you hired me!” – Asha Vora

The post Accolades For New Attorney Asha Vora appeared first on Phoenix Family Law Attorney | DeShon Laraye Pullen PLC.

The Employee of the Month award is for those who served as a role model that goes above and beyond. Beyond doing their own job, they help co-workers while collaborating with their own team members to resolve client issues. Simply put, they serve as a role model for their peers.

Our Genius of the Month award is designated for an employee who suggests a best practice that potentially that increases productivity and efficiency while improving the way we do business and practice law. To receive the award, the employee’s proposed best practice must be thoroughly tested and successfully implemented.

Leticia Munozcano is November’s Employee of the Month. One staff member referred to her as a “gracious shining star” with an unending positive attitude. After quickly learning numerous policies and procedures, she was added to the firm’s busiest team and held responsibility for multiple, highly intensive duties while maintaining and preparing files for court.

Amy J. Witzleb is our October Employee of the Month. Throughout her time with our firm, she has always been willing to step up and cover our all-important initial consultations.

Jessica Hurley is the Genius of the Month for October for putting the laptop checkout on the Clio calendar. By doing that, she made the process easier and without conflicts over the person taking a laptop to trial.

Please join us in congratulating these valuable members of the DeShon Laraye Pullen PLC family.

The post DLP PLC Staff Who Excelled In October And November appeared first on Phoenix Family Law Attorney | DeShon Laraye Pullen PLC.

The post Our Former Employee Talks ‘1Lofayear’ in Law School appeared first on Phoenix Family Law Attorney | DeShon Laraye Pullen PLC.

DeShon L. Pullen named Top One Percent attorney for 2016

While our attorneys at DeShon Laraye Pullen PLC care more about achieving our clients’ family law goals than anything else, it is always nice to be recognized for our hard work. Especially when that recognition comes from an organization dedicated to raising the standards of the legal profession nationwide.

We are honored to announce that our firm’s owner and founder, DeShon L. Pullen, has been added to the National Association of Distinguished Counsel’s 2016 Nation’s Top One Percent list. The list represents American lawyers who consistently elevate the standards of legal work, and set a strong example for their colleagues.

NADC selects its Top One Percent through an intricate process. A research team vets potential candidates, then passes on the best candidates to a blue ribbon panel of attorneys who represent different, independent organizations. That panel’s decisions must be approved by a judicial review board, which evaluates each candidate by how well they exemplify virtue in their legal practice.

As you might expect, such a rigorous process is extremely selective, and those included on the list are truly considered to be among the top 1 percent of attorneys practicing nationwide.

The post DeShon L. Pullen named Top One Percent attorney for 2016 appeared first on Phoenix Family Law Attorney | DeShon Laraye Pullen PLC.

October is one of our favorite months of the year at DeShon Laraye Pullen PLC. We work very hard for our clients, so our attorneys and staff like to have fun when the opportunity presents itself. October is a time when we’re sure to fit some fun into our busy schedule.

Below, we listed some of the biggest reasons we love October in Arizona. What do you love about this time of year?

Fall Colors: In Arizona, seeking out fall colors is well worth the effort. If you want to put together an autumn sightseeing plan, check out the Arizona Republic’s guide to Arizona’s fall colors. Don’t forget to share your pictures with us!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: October has saved countless lives as the hosting month of Breast Cancer Awareness. Create your Early Detection Plan today!

Television: New seasons of favorite TV shows often begin in October. Waiting for your favorite show to return can seem agonizing, so grab some friends and throw a small party for long-awaited season premieres.

Football: Whether you love the Arizona Cardinals, Arizona State Sun Devils or prep football, October is when football teams start stringing together some good plays.

Oktoberfest Beer: This one is a bit of a trick. Oktoberfest beer is traditionally released in September to “welcome” October. Still, there’s usually plenty of your favorite Oktoberfest lager still on tap in the beginning of October.

Halloween: You must wait until the last day of October to reach it, but Halloween is the highlight of the month for many. Do you have your costume picked out yet?

Did we miss anything you love about October? What’s on your list?

The post There’s Plenty To Love About October appeared first on Phoenix Family Law Attorney | DeShon Laraye Pullen PLC.

We are closing out Women’s History Month by continuing our tribute to impactful women in the legal realm. For the first part of our series, click here.

Lyda Burton Conley became the first female Native American attorney in the U.S. (1910). Conley was not admitted to a law school, but self-taught.

Frances Allen was the first woman to serve as an assistant prosecutor (1919). She later became the first female with an Article III Appellate Judgeship.

Florence Ellinwood Allen is elected to the Ohio Supreme Court (1922), the first woman to become elected to any state’s highest court. In 1934, President Roosevelt appoints her to the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Genevieve Rose Cline became the first female federal judge (1928). She serves for 25 years.

Sandra Day O’Connor is appointed to the United States Supreme Court by President Reagan (1981), making her the first female Supreme Court Justice.

Janet Reno became the first female U.S. Attorney General (1993).

Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined O’Connor as the only other female Supreme Court Justice. Bill Clinton appointed her – and probably had some input from his wife, attorney Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Harriet Miers became the first female to have title in the office of White House Counsel (2005).

Sonia Sotomayor became the first Latina to serve as U.S. Supreme Court Justice (2009).

Elena Kagan is appointed Supreme Court Justice by President Obama and three women simultaneously serve as Justices for the first time.

We hope you enjoyed Women’s History Month and the incredible contributions made by generations of female attorneys.

The post Women’s History Month: Female Attorneys Who Paved The Way, Pt. 2 appeared first on Phoenix Family Law Attorney | DeShon Laraye Pullen PLC.

March is Women’s History Month, designed to pay tribute to generations of women whose contributions are invaluable to society and the planet. At Deshon Laraye Pullen PLC, we would like to highlight some of the brave and brilliant women in the legal realm.

These are colorful and remarkable characters! We encourage you to read about each woman, even if you have never heard of her before.

Arabella Mansfield: At the age of 23, Arabella became the first, officially-recognized female attorney in the United States (1869). She was granted admission to practice law in Iowa.

Esther McQuigg Morris: Esther is largely recognized as the first female judge in the U.S., via her position as Justice of the Peace in South Pass City, Wyoming (1870). She gained a larger-than-life reputation after a local saloonkeeper came into court in an uproar over her new position. Esther fined him and then jailed him after he refused to pay the citation. The jailed saloonkeeper was her husband!

Charlotte E. Ray: The first African American female lawyer in the U.S. (1872). Charlotte was one of the top students in her graduating class at Howard’s law school, but had to abandon practicing law because few were open-minded enough to hire her.

Alta M. Hulett: Alta Drafted an Illinois bill providing that no person can be excluded from any occupation or profession because of gender (1872). After its passage, Hulett became Illinois’ first woman attorney at the age of 19. She did so by earning the highest score on the bar exam.

Belva Ann Lockwood: The first woman admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court (1879), Lockwood won a $5 million settlement for the Cherokee Indian Nation after it was robbed of its land. Years later, she ran for President under the Equal Rights Party, winning more than 4,000 votes in six states.

Next week, look for the second part of Female Attorneys Who Paved The Way.

The post Women’s History Month: Female Attorneys Who Paved The Way, Pt. 1 appeared first on Phoenix Family Law Attorney | DeShon Laraye Pullen PLC.

However, the founder’s net worth is $5.6 billion, and it’s likely that much of this will be considered marital property. Though much of the terms are addressed in the prenup, lawyers for both individuals may still challenge the terms. Prenups often add a feeling of security to those who enter into a marriage with significant assets, but they don’t always hold up in court. Sometimes, lawyers for a spouse may argue that circumstances in the marriage have changed enough to warrant an overturning of the prenup. In other cases, it may be arguable that the document was signed under duress.

The couple in this case share significant assets, including an art collection, luxury homes and other items. These will likely be divided among them. Lawyers for the wife did not disclose what assets she might be seeking.

For those going through the divorce process, especially those with high net worth, the advice of a family law attorney can be invaluable. A prenuptial agreement would need to be thoroughly examined to determine if it is still valid.

Source: Bloomberg, “Citadel’s Griffin Seeks Divorce After 11-Year Marriage“, Andrew Harris, Saijel Kishan and Katherine Burton , July 24, 2014

The post Citadel founder asks for divorce appeared first on Phoenix Family Law Attorney | DeShon Laraye Pullen PLC.

The educator noted that many couples do not want to talk about divorce at the beginning of their marriage because it can sometimes seem self-defeating to many. However, that may be the best time to address financial issues. She observed that those couples who are able to communicate about these issues from a cooperative standpoint may be able to fashion an agreement that protects both parties in the event a divorce does result. It may help to consider a prenuptial agreement much in the way one might plan to make a last will.

Divorce statistics indicate that, on average, women fare worse financially than men in a divorce. Some 37 percent of them are said to end up with a reduced lifestyle after separating, while almost two thirds of men enjoy a better lifestyle. For that reason, it is suggested that women take seriously the possibility of divorce and its potential effect on them before and during their marriage.

The best advice appears to be to plan ahead. If a divorce plan is in place, it may actually contribute to the stability of a marriage as both parties will likely feel they are financially protected. Arizona residents preparing to marry may gain by addressing the need for a prenuptial agreement with their partner before the wedding date. Those already married who do not have such an agreement in place would do well to seek advice about their rights and responsibilities under our state laws.

Source: Minnesota Public Radio, “Ruth Hayden on money and divorce,” Emily Kaiser, Oct. 11, 2012

The post Arizona divorce: planning for it before the wedding makes sense appeared first on Phoenix Family Law Attorney | DeShon Laraye Pullen PLC.