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Name: Christie Asselin
Business: Christie M. Asselin, Esq., a P.C. / yourweddinglawyer.com, a wedding lawyer
Industry: Other — Law
Location: La Crescenta, California, U.S.
Reason for starting: About two years ago, I was lying on my bed thinking about what was next for my legal career. Having litigated for several years, and having been in 7 weddings, and planned multiple fundraisers and events, it dawned on me that there was a gaping hole in what services attorneys offer to the public. There were really no lawyers who specialized in weddings. The average couple spends about $30,000 on their wedding. They will sign multiple contracts without fully understanding what they are signing and the implications of the contracts. Beyond that, when a couple gets married, there is another participant in their marriage: the state. That elements offers lots of complications. Getting married is not just about coordinating wedding colors – it’s a much more complex legal process than people consider.
I then surveyed recently married couples and found that there was a need for and an interest in not only legal representation in this area but also education. There is so much white space to play with in terms of the interplay between three of my favorite things: the law, wedding planning, and well…love. So, I started to develop this niche. I’m currently accepting clients, and offering contract review and negotiation packages for couples. I also offer a template contract for wedding professionals and couples alike. I am also working on a book to educate couples on how to navigate both wedding planning and the first years of marriage from the perspective of an attorney. This area of law gives me so much room to be creative and to blend areas of my life together. I am inspired all the time by it.
Related: Read about another female entrepreneur starting her own law practice.
How do you define success? Success for me is a combination of financial independence and flexibility, interesting work, and providing service to the public.
Biggest Success: Passing the California bar, and starting my own freelance research and writing business for law firms.
What is your top challenge and how have you addressed it? The great thing about all this white space is I have a lot of room for creativity. The not so great thing is that nobody ever Google seaches the keyword “wedding lawyer” because it’s such a new concept. For me, the biggest issue is getting in front of people and increasing brand awareness. To address that, I tell everyone I know about what I’m doing. I am also active on social media and comment on wedding topics. My broad goals to address that include teaching classes for couples and wedding professionals, speaking engagements, and publishing a book.
Related: 5 Things No One Ever Told You About PR
Who is your most important role model? I’m inspired all the time by great leaders! I’ve been listening to a lot of Ali Brown podcasts recently. She’s really inspirational.
[box_light]Website www.yourweddinglawyer.com
Twitter @CMAEsq
Facebook www.facebook.com/cmaesq[/box_light]
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Edited by The Story Exchange