Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Boylan.
Amanda, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My passion for criminal law started the summer after my first year of law school. I’d managed to snag an internship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Dallas and from that point on, I was hooked. After that, I interned with every prosecutor’s office I could find. After leaving Penn State law school and moving back home to Dallas, I naturally took a job with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. I loved being a prosecutor because I truly wanted to make a difference and felt that the DA’s office was the best place to do that. But after a few years as a prosecutor, I realized that I had the potential to make even more of an impact as a defense attorney. I easily transitioned to a position with the Dallas County Public Defender’s Office. (I actually just moved one floor down!) The Public Defender’s Office opened my eyes to the difficulties that indigent men and women not only in Dallas county but across the country. It was such an honor to fight for those who, quite often, didn’t have anyone else fighting for them.
However, I was eventually approached about making the transition to the private sector. My boss/mentor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office had recently opened his own criminal defense firm and was looking to expand. It was the perfect opportunity, and I honestly wouldn’t have made the jump for anyone else. In looking back I’m glad I did. At the Public Defender’s Office, I was limited to criminal defense at the State level, but at Haffar Law we also practice on a Federal level. This opens up so many more opportunities to help people who need it. We enjoy what we do at Haffar Law, and I think it clearly shows in our work.
Joining Haffar Law has also given me the chance to expand my philanthropic work. I have more time to give back to the community by volunteering through organizations like the Junior League of Dallas and Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. I also just finished my Lagree Certification Training (a personal fitness goal of mine) and am completing my Instructor Training at Studio 6 Fitness.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Oh, it has been anything but smooth! When I first started, I told myself that I’d never be a Public Defender. And then I told myself, “ok, I like this, but I’ll never work in the private sector.” I was narrow-minded and limiting my own opportunity for growth. It was easy to do because at every part of my journey, I was extremely comfortable in my job. I never felt pressured to leave by any means and I felt fortunate to have those jobs that I loved going to every day. So when I was given these new opportunities, I started to doubt and question if I was making the right decision. It’s tough leaving the stable and certain for the unknown. I mean, why would I want to mess with a good thing?
The switch to private practice was probably the most difficult transition. I went from having hundreds of clients that were appointed to me by the courts to having virtually none. And I was expected to bring in my own clients, which was a whole new world for me. I had to change my way of thinking and learn to market myself, which was incredibly uncomfortable for me in a lot of ways.
However, I’m so incredibly grateful that my desire to keep learning and growing took over and I could step outside of my comfort zone. I was able to make those difficult decisions and leave something that was good in the hope of finding something better. Not every day has been easy, and there’s always a learning curve. But overall, I’m so glad that my life has played out like it has and I wouldn’t do anything differently.
We’d love to hear more about your practice.
My firm, Haffar Law, handles both State and Federal criminal cases at every point, from pre-indictment to post-conviction. We’re unique in that we have prior experience as prosecutors, so we know the mindset of a prosecutor and have a better understanding of how they’ll approach the case. We’re a firm that’s built on reputation and hard work. You won’t catch us with flashy advertising or slogans because we let our results speak for themselves.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe in luck necessarily. I firmly believe that things happen the way they were meant to. It’s too much of a coincidence that my boss at the U.S. Attorney’s Office would be offering me a job at a defense firm almost a decade later. I didn’t always understand the twists and turns along the way, but I can say looking back that nothing was just by chance and everything happened for a reason.
Contact Info:
- Address: 8150 N. Central Expy,
Campbell Centre II, Suite M2070
Dallas, Texas, 75206 - Website: www.haffarlaw.com
- Phone: 2143804566
- Email: amanda@haffarlaw.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aab52/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haffarlaw1
Image Credit:
Janelle Whitehead Photography
Layla Gonzalez Photography
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