Suburban Life - Central Bucks/Montgomery - Issue #9 (September 2023)

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SL_PROFILE_BoydEarly_0923_Layout 1 10 / 2 / 23 2 : 14 PM Page 1 Better Together issy Boyd and Liz Early met for the Since co - founding Boyd & Early Family Law LLC first time eight years ago , while working as family law attorneys for one year ago , attorneys Missy Boyd and Liz Early have Ma regional general practice firm . Almost immediately , each saw in the other a made a profound difference for clients , team members , trusted friend , a kindred spirit , a tribe member . “ As soon as Liz was hired , there was and the communities they serve . something different about our connection , personally and professionally , ” Boyd says . by B I L L D O N A H U E | photos by J O DY R O B I N S O N “ In addition to being colleagues and really enjoying collaborative cases , we were also instantly friends . ” Early adds , “ What made Missy very dif - ferent was her approach — the mindset that you can do it all . You can be a mom , a spouse , a family member , your child’s coach , the homeroom mom , and a full - time attorney . Her approach was , ‘ We work hard for our clients while we are here , but you also need to go do everything else you want to do . ’ That is something that has really carried over to what we’re doing here . ” By “ here , ” she means Boyd & Early Family Law LLC , the law firm co - founded by the pair last October . Starting their own firm has been both immensely challenging and easier than expected , thanks to the help and encour - agement of a seemingly endless list of busi - ness partners , well - wishers , and even their former colleagues . One year later , the women - owned business enterprise has earned a reputation for fielding a compas - sionate and devoted legal team committed to helping clients through complicated divorces , high - conflict custody disputes , sup - port litigation , and other complex matters pertaining to family law . “ I don’t refer to myself as a lawyer but as a solution seeker , ” Boyd says . “ The path can be different for everyone — from litigation to alternative dispute resolution . The facts we deal with in any given case are often stranger than any fiction . Regardless of the facts , I’m always asking the question : What is the solution ? We want to help these people get through the process as unscathed as possible and get to a better place . ” A passion for helping others — particularly children — compelled Boyd and Early to pursue a career in family law . In fact , both volunteer their services for the Montgomery Child Advocacy Project , a nonprofit devoted Missy Boyd ( left ) to preventing child abuse and neglect in and Liz Early Montgomery County through a combination of legal services , advocacy , and education . SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 40 |

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SL_PROFILE_BoydEarly_0923_Layout 1 10 / 2 / 23 2 : 14 PM Page 2 Boyd sits on the board of the nonprofit in addition to serving as a volunteer attorney . Each also serves as a guardian ad litem for children , appointed by a court to look after a child’s best interests in custody matters . “ In family law , we are oftentimes dealing with failed relationships , but there is still a child at the center ; there’s a life to cultivate , ” Boyd adds . “ We handle high - conflict , high - net - worth divorces , but the ones that involve children are the toughest ones we do . We , and our clients , are well aware of what the end of a marriage might mean for a child . At the very least I am educating my clients and making sure they do not lose sight of the child that could become collateral damage in that fight . ” While litigation remains the primary avenue for resolving divorces , the attorneys of Boyd & Early Family Law handle a large number of mediations and arbitrations , which tend to be kinder and gentler for all Inaddition to the firm’s founders , the legal team has grown to include involved . Regardless of the method , the ( leftto right ) Chelsey Christiansen , Jennifer Ryan , and Allison Wickman . firm’s multifaceted and solution - focused approach has resonated with clients and non - clients alike . Case in point : Former “ We spend most of our lives with our within the Bucks County Bar Association , opposing counsel and opposing parties are work colleagues , and the environment here providing pro bono assistance to parties some of the firm’s best referral sources . is one that we intentionally created , ” says engagedin protection from abuse . In addition , Just as Boyd and Early ensure that clients Early . “ It’s more than the office culture . It multiple members of the firm serve as vol - feel valued and prioritized , they strive to do was important for us to offer a battery of unteers in a variety of roles throughout their the same for each member of their team . benefits [ to employees ] as soon as possible . community . They do so by providing fellow attorneys In order for people to feel that they can do Boyd and Early consider the fact that and paralegals with a comprehensive benefits their best work , they need to feel taken thefirm has added two new team members package , a collegial workplace , and the flex - care of , and that they have lives beyond the within its first year as a telling sign of good ibility to lead full lives away from the office . walls of the workplace . And that’s what things to come . As of October 1st , the firm While team members are devoted to making we’re committed to doing for everyone madeanother significant change : Attorney sure all clients ’ needs are addressed in a who works here . ” JenniferRyan was advanced to a partnership timely and effective manner , they also carve Boyd and Early go so far as to refer to role . time out of their schedules to attend their their fellow team members as “ a second “ We collaborate on a lot of cases , so if children’s sports games and other activities . family . ” The family includes two other attor - you hire one of us , you get five of us , each As a nurturing team , it is not uncommon to neys — Chelsey Christiansen and Jennifer with our own perspective and skills to add find the firm’s members supporting each Ryan — soon to be three with the addition to each issue , ” Early says . “ Our clients , other outside of the office , including attending of new graduate Allison Wickman , as well especiallythose with young children , remain the sporting events of each other’s children . as a “ dynamic ” support staff in the form of our clients for many years . We get them Tracy Bowers , Latoya Wilson , through the hardest parts of their lives . I and the newly added Jami Levin . will often tell clients at our first meeting , Six of the eight - person team ‘ Today is the worst day . Bear with me and a worked together at their last firm . yearfrom now you will be in a very different Boyd describes the team as “ a place . ’ We’re all here to help people ‘ get fierce collection of women , ” yet through the toughest parts ’ and come out she and Early point out that half the other side ready to move forward in of their clients are men . their lives . ” The attorneys support the “ Ourethics and integrity are what matter community through involvement most to us , ” Boyd adds . “ Quite candidly , in professional and civic organi - theworld of family law can get messy some - zations . In 2024 , Boyd will ascend times , and it can be even messier when to the position of chair of the there are children involved . We view each Pennsylvania Bar Association’s case with the idea that there will still be a Family Law Section , while Early family that’s left after a divorce . We’re always ? will chair the Family Law Section mindful of that . ” of the Montgomery Bar Associa - tion ; Early is also a trustee for the ? Montgomery Bar Foundation . Boyd & Early Christiansen , currently secretary of the Montgomery Bar Associa - Family Law LLC tion’s Young Lawyers Section , will Boydand Early are pleased to announce that attorney ( 610 ) 596 - 8111 take over as chair of the section JenniferRyan has moved into a partnership role . inthe near future . Ryan is a leader boydearlyfamilylaw.com SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 | 41

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