DELAWARE ATTORNEY UPDATE
I am Delaware attorney Ronald D. Phillips Jr. On January 1, 2015, I returned to the full time practice of law concentrating once again on criminal defense and family law. For those that don’t know, five years ago I was asked to help develop a private school as their Dean of Students and ultimately became the Executive Director. After fifteen years doing DUI’s, divorces and a variety of other legal matters, I felt it was a good time to take a break from being an attorney. In addition, I would be able to work in the school my children attended and my wife worked. I did have to continue handling some legal work because working for a non-profit organization simply doesn’t make the mortgage company as happy as being a full time Delaware Attorney. Now its time to return to my roots.
Although I continued to practice part-time over the last five years, there are many things that I have had to get used to in my return to full-time practice. One of the biggest things I have had to adjust to is the number of new attorneys who have decided to practice in Kent and Sussex County over the past five years. I was acquainted with many of the new attorneys and occasionally interacted with them, but I have struggled to pair some of the names and the faces and need to introduce myself to many of the attorneys I haven’t yet met. Overall though, I have received a warm welcome upon my return and it has not been as difficult as I expected. I have always been impressed with the collegiality of Delaware Attorneys, so I am not surprised that my colleagues welcomed me back into the fold, even though for some it may mean increased competition for cases.
When I decided to go work for the school, many questioned my decision to reduce my law practice and incur the reduced income that went with it, however, the change was well worth the reduced income. I had the opportunity to meet some wonderful people and experience things I never would have experienced had I never strayed from the practice of law. Those things will provide a lifetime of benefit and a pool of knowledge to draw from in the future.
As I begin my newest journey partnering with Attorney Julianne Murray in our firm, I am excited to once again be able to represent individuals in need of legal representation from Dover to Fenwick Island and everywhere in between. I have always taken the approach that I wanted to be able to relate to my clients as real people and establish a relationship with them, understanding them as individuals first and clients second. I try to offer practical solutions for the real problems they face and not confuse them with a bunch of legalese and lawyer talk. I think overall, my clients appreciate that down to earth approach and the fact that even where we may disagree, I still care about them and am working in their best interest.
Both my partner and I are committed to being sensitive to the needs of our clients while also being honest about their case. We believe this is the responsibility of every Delaware lawyer and we take that responsibility to heart. While I practice mostly criminal defense, DUI and Family law, Julianne does wills and estates, real estate, civil litigation and appellate work. We believe these are the legal needs of the every day people who live and work in Kent and Sussex County Delaware and those are the people we want to represent. If you have any legal questions, feel free to call us at 302-855-9300 (Georgetown) or 302-422-9300 (Milford) 302-628-9300 (Seaford).