TheBurg

36 | THEBURGNEWS.COM | 03.19 1. Why did you decide to go into your profession? Donna: I didn't go to college with the objective of attending law school. In college, I majored in journalism and minored in political science, and it was a result of those political science courses that I developed the goal of attending law school. As cliché as it sounds, I wanted to make a di&erence, to identify and pursue a career where I could feel like I was "doing good." What's been amazingly fortunate for me, in light of my original objectives for going to law school, is that I've spent the majority of my career practicing in the area of public !nance, where I provide legal service to governmental entities of all sizes and shapes, working with them to !nance projects for the bene!t of the residents they serve. Jennifer: I decided to be a lawyer when I was in seventh grade. Teachers had always noted my tendency to question lessons and debate theories and (likely in exasperation) one said, "Jennifer, I think you will make a !ne lawyer someday." Wow! Neither of my parents nor any of my siblings had even gone to college, and I was going to go to law school! A secondary motivator would be the independence that an education and the private practice of law would provide. I grew up with two older sisters who married right out of high school and were 100-percent dependent upon their husbands. Neither of their !rst marriages lasted, and I decided that I would never "need" a man/ husband. I have been happily married to my high school sweetheart for 19 years, and I hope that our two beautiful children understand the value of an education and the independence that it can provide. Kandice: I decided to become a lawyer because I was looking for a career that would be intellectually interesting and challenging. e law is constantly evolving, and it is an important mechanism for developing and expressing our society's MCNEES WALLACE & NURICK LLC MCNEESLAW.COM | 717.232.8000 Pictured, left to right: DONNA KREISER, Vice Chair of McNees, Co-Chair of the Public Finance & Government Services Group and Member-in-Charge of the Lancaster oce JENNIFER WILL, Co-Chair of the McNees Labor and Employment Practice Group KANDICE HULL, Chair of the McNees Litigation and Eminent Domain Practice Groups sense of justice. Assembling a client's best case from the available facts and legal standards is always an intriguing logic problem. While there is a lot of mundanity in the job, there are enough challenges to keep it fascinating. 2. What makes your approach to your job di!erent or unique? Donna: Of course, it's important to provide the high-quality legal service our clients deserve and expect. But I hope what makes my approach (and our !rm's approach) to serving clients unique or di&erent is our commitment to client service, as reected in our !rm's "Clients First" culture. We work to partner with our clients to really come to know and understand their goals and objectives. We work to anticipate client needs so that our clients are best prepared for the future. Our objective, and my objective, is to be proactive rather than reactive when providing legal services. Jennifer: While it may not be all that unique, I de!nitely take a team-based approach to the practice of law. When I start to work with a new client, I look for the !rst opportunity to introduce the client to another member of the Labor & Employment Practice Group and then to other professionals in the !rm. As co-chair of the L&E Practice Group, I try to encourage and facilitate collaboration with each other and with our counterparts in the other 42 practice areas at McNees. When clients feel the support of a whole team of lawyers and professionals, trust develops quickly. Kandice: I am a litigator, and I hear a lot of expectations that people have that their lawyer should be loud and aggressive. I don't think that makes for a better advocate. My approach is to be logical, well reasoned, thorough and assertive. More often than not, reason carries the day over bluster. 3. What's the most gratifying part of what you do? Donna: Having practiced law for more than 30 years, the most fun or gratifying part of being an attorney is having had the opportunity to build wonderful, lasting relationships with the clients that our practice group services. Many of those clients are my friends. We've gotten to know each other very well on both a professional and personal level, and, as a result, I believe I can serve them better. It's easier to anticipate our client's needs and to identify goals and objectives. I have a unique appreciation of what our clients are attempting to accomplish, both in the short and long term. It's been a real privilege for me to get to know our clients, to work with our clients, and to have a small role in their lives and businesses. Jennifer: Di&erent question, same answer. Leading the Labor & Employment team at McNees. I get to work with some of my very best friends—every single day! How many people can say that? It is also very gratifying when members of the !rm band together to support a client's charitable cause. Community service in partnership with our clients is something that McNees does very well. Kandice: Winning! A victory is always good news. Day to day, it is gratifying to help people and businesses solve problems that are facing them. Law really is a helping profession. As I have gotten older, I also !nd a lot of ful!llment in helping new lawyers develop in the profession. It isn't always an easy job, and, if I can help make the path a little smoother for others behind me, I would very much like to do so.

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