Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Andrade.
Brian, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
At a young age (8th grade, so 13 or so) I wanted to be a lawyer, but I didn’t have a lot of direction or focus on education In High School. In fact, I was a terrible student. After high school, I didn’t go to college, I got odd jobs and tooled around. I tired community college once and dropped out. I started a relationship and poof my first daughter was conceived. At that point, I felt a terrible push to go to college since I wasn’t making very much money and now I was going to support a child. So I stated back to college, me and my daughters Mom broke up and she filed a suit for custody of my daughter.
I almost left college since the lawyers’ fees and costs were high and I had to take a number of developmental classes that I wasn’t getting credit for, in general it was a big mess. I had some really good friends support me, they tutored me with my math classes and helped me stay the course. All the while I was dealing with this custody suit.
Initially I was fearful of lawyers and intimated. As the case progressed I was less and less impressed by the lawyers involved in my case and felt like no one really cared about my situation, only payments. Eventually I found a lawyer who really helped me and it inspired me to refocus on my early goal of becoming a lawyer
After I graduated from undergrad I took the LSAT and got accepted to SMU law. I focused my studies on family law classes, marital property, children’s rights. When I graduated I got a job at a small firm, but moved on to start my own practice. As an associate at a firm, I couldn’t decide which cases I could take, as a firm owner, it was my decision.
I was able to take cases that others firms might turn away. Give folks payment plans and try to work with them to address their needs.
So I’ve been building my practice and helping clients through my firm ever since.
Has it been a smooth road?
Education. I was a poor student in high school, so starting college I needed tutors, good friends helped me there.
Life style. Since I had a child, I had to work full time and go to school almost full-time for about 10 years straight between under grad and law school.
Ongoing Court issues. My first daughters Mom sued a few times after our case was done, so it seems like I was in and out of court for almost 10 years while going to school.
Raising my daughter. I needed a lot of help from family and my wife to help care for my daughter since law school was very demanding.
Child issues: later my daughter had a lot of issues at home with her step dad and I had to file suit and bring her to live with me when she was 12. At this time, I was building my practice.
Struggle to learn how to run a business and practice law. Law school doesn’t really teach you the nuts and bolts of daily practice, more “think like a lawyer”, research, and process, but not much on the practical side of day to day “lawyering”.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I am a full-service family law practice. I handle Divorce and Child custody cases. I’ve done adoptions, marital property cases, child disputes, child support, enforcement of orders, adoptions, modification of orders.
I mainly practice family law, probably 95% of my cases. So I focus on that area and that makes me better at what I do.
I work with my clients. I charge flexible retainers and on occasion when necessary provide payment plans. I work directly with my clients and provide education and options so the client feels in control of what is going on.
I was a client before I was a lawyer. Some lawyers are clients but often times they were lawyers first. With me, I experienced what it feels like to be a 22-year-old kid fighting to be in his daughter’s life while balancing an education and job. I know what it feels like to be in that place, so I keep that as a reminder to explain things to my clients, prepare them for what is going on. It’s a scary process if you are left in the dark.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Dallas is a booming town, with any growth you generally see in increase in all economies, including law. building involve real-estate, construction, contracts, people bring in more cars, car accidents, more diversity triggers civil rights, more people in general increases more families, more kids and on the average more divorces and child custody.
So a growing area is good for legal business. The court’s in DFW continue to evolve and expand to address the needs of families so it’s a good place to practice family law.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1701 Gateway Blvd.
Suite 333 - Website: www.dfw-lawyer.com
- Phone: 972 372 4926
- Email: brian@dfw-lawyer.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andradelaw/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DFWLawyer1
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
