On the Job With ... Budge Law Offices LLC

These legal ladies keep it all in the family

By Dana Raidt
Published: August 31st, 2010 | 11:00pm

In a time when the economy was in a major downturn, plenty of 20-somethings leaned on a parent for support. But Stephanie Nelson, of St. Paul, Minnesota, approached things differently; she went into business with hers.

At a time when her mother, Mary Budge, had been transitioned out of her executive-level legal job, Nelson was fresh out of law school and an associate at a firm but knew she wanted to do something else. Rather than wait out the economic storm or allow it to hold her back, Nelson and her sister approached their mother about starting a family-owned law firm.

“I thought they were kidding at first,” Budge explains. “But we jumped in, and now it’s coming together.”

It was a big risk, but in 2008 Budge and Nelson, whose sister has since left the firm (on good terms—no family drama), started Budge Law Offices LLC and haven’t looked back. Dealing mainly with small-business clients, they cover everything from formation and employment law to intellectual property, patent, and music law. The women’s diverse backgrounds, not to mention their own success starting a business, add to their credibility. In addition to corporate law experience, Budge has a degree in dance. For her part, Nelson is a musician who has been in several Twin Cities bands (she currently plays bass in Cadette) and holds a degree in genetics.

When they’re not taking on new clients, helping existing ones, or performing administrative work, both Budge and Nelson serve as board members for non-profit and community organizations and perform pro bono work. They also serve as their own marketing department, using social media, a blog, and live networking events to grow their firm—which will in turn help even more small businesses to grow.

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Mary Budge & Stephanie Nelson

The Job: Co-owners and attorneys, Budge Law Offices

Education: Both have J.D.s in addition to their undergraduate degrees and Budge’s paralegal certificate.

Résumé: Budge worked as a trademark and copyright attorney before her tenure at a software security company, and Nelson has foreclosure and real-estate law experience.

Mission: To act as mentors, both to clients and to the legal and small-business communities. Budge and Nelson would eventually like to branch out into more practice areas and increase their firm’s stability, potentially creating opportunities for recent law school grads to get experience.

Why it works: Budge and Nelson have developed a business model that works for them. Each works independently with her own clients and they save money with a “virtual office” setup, checking in by phone or e-mail when needed. They say they occasionally do butt heads and it can be a struggle not to fall back into family roles. Nelson admits to calling Budge “mom” at an early client meeting. “I was like, ‘Oh my god, I can’t do that’,” she says, laughing.

“We can’t be mother and daughter [in business situations],” agrees Budge. “We have to be business partners and act that way.”

Advice: For those who think law school means years of hard work to end up in a boring-yet-stressful job, Nelson says keep an open mind and avoid putting all your professional eggs in one basket. “You can do bankruptcy [law]. Fine, it’s not your passion, but it might pay your bills. On the side, start building your client base for what you want to do.” Budge started law school as her youngest child was heading off to kindergarten, and got her degree while working full time and raising three kids. “As an older adult, I wasn’t sure if [law school] was going to be a good move or not,” she says. “In the end, it really paid off.”

Given their experience with small businesses (and with taking risks in an uncertain economic climate), both women encourage others to go for what they want, but to be smart about the execution of any grand ideas. Nelson points out that most people start a business while working at another job and transition slowly. Budge stresses patience and having a support network of friends, family, and mentors. She recommends checking out organizations like SCORE (a free resource for small-business owners).

“There are people out there who want to help you,” she says. “So find those resources and don’t be afraid.”

For more information on Budge Law Offices, click here

On The Job With … is a monthly column that explores interesting women with interesting jobs. We get the scoop on each lady’s working process, what makes her want to get up every day, and get advice for others looking to break into her field. The column is written by Dana Raidt who is a regular contributor for Venus Zine.