Erin Edgar practices law as a licensed attorney in the state of North Carolina. She worked for many years in the non-profit sector, but she now has her own solo practice. Erin graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law and has received further training in mediation, collaborative negotiation, and other forms of conflict resolution.

Erin became interested in law in high school while studying history. She continues to be fascinated by the common social and political elements and traditions that bind societies together. As she deepened her understanding, she began to appreciate the ways the law can be used for collaboration among diverse people and beliefs.

Q & A

Leadership Girl (LG): What is the name of your business?

Erin Edgar

Erin Edgar: The Law Office of Erin Baker Edgar, PLLC

LG: Tell us about your business…

Erin: I work to use the law for healing and protection of families, their assets and legacies. I serve clients throughout the Triangle and surrounding areas, and assist with legal needs of families in transition. My services range from creating wills to formulating custody agreements after a separation. My clients benefit from my empathetic and compassionate listening style as well as my legal knowledge and competence.

LG: Who do you serve?

Erin: I serve primarily people in transition or those contemplating transition of some kind. This includes people going through divorce or separation, or others interested in developing a legacy, such as through a will or trust.

LG: What is your website’s url?

Erin: — http://erinedgarlegal.com

LG: How did you get into your current business? What opportunities or needs did you see?

Erin: I worked in the non-profit sector for some time. I realized that, although rewarding, the work that I was doing did not address one of my fundamental passions, which is to help people identify legal options to assist them through life changes.

Many people, when faced with situations of sudden and drastic change, such as a separation, tend to give their legal power away. This is because they are not sure of what options are available to them. When they suddenly find themselves in conflict, they are not sure what they can legally ask for or are legally entitled to have or receive.

LG: What have been your biggest challenges?

Erin: My biggest challenges have been identifying when I could no longer be of assistance to clients. I have a personality that wants to care for and help people. When I find I can no longer assist someone (or when assisting them would no longer be in their best interest), it is my duty to let them know. My clients rely on me to interpret the law for them. It is sometimes hard to convince myself that I have done all I can do.

LG: What has been your Greatest Reward?

Erin: My greatest reward is that I am now able to exercise so much personal choice in my business. For example, I can practice law in the fields I am passionate about; I do not have limitations on the type of cases I can take set by others. That said, I have my own limitations and policies about client boundaries and my own rules about what kinds of matters I choose not to handle. However, these things are based on personal choice rather than handed down from a management entity.

LG: If you could change something, what would it be?

Erin: I would change the fact that I work at home for now. This is due to my business’s financial situation more than personal choice. As my business grows, I will have the funding to change this. Unfortunately, keeping that thought in my head does not make the multiple distractions of a home environment easier to bear.

LG: Who are your ideal clients?

Erin: My ideal clients are families with children. The parents may have a disabled child they want to place in an educational environment and have questions about the school’s obligations. The parents in the family are contemplating their own inheritances and wish to make wills indicating who should receive their legacy. They also might want advice on drafting documents, such as living wills and powers of attorney, to signify their wishes should they be faced with financial or health problems. And if all of that weren’t enough, the husband and wife are separating and want to work together to make custody arrangements that are in their children’s best interests.

LG: Social Media, Yay or Nay?

Erin: Yay, when I can find the time. I have noticed that I get overwhelmed with other duties and put off posting to social media. I need to learn to make the time and have scheduled posts as well as limits on my own time that I spend; it can suck you in like a vacuum.

LG: What is unique about your business?

Erin: I strive to help clients through deep and lasting life changes and transformations that can be potentially very emotional. For these reasons, I want clients to feel safe coming to me and in sharing their potential vulnerabilities with me. I also encourage clients to work collaboratively with the opposing parties to cement change and meaningful transformation.