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By Contributor
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JANET BOYLE, Founder and Principal of Family Law Solutions, says that after decades of representing clients through everything from domestic violence to million-dollar custody fights, she realizes that for most people, divorce is just a blip on the radar of their lives. In the end, her goal is to help them move on to their next chapter. A former Assistant Cook County Public Defender, she’s built a specialty in family law with a special expertise in tax issues, harnessing her graduate degree in taxation during cases that involve complex asset division. Through it all, she’s with each of her clients during pivotal moments in their lives, strategically guiding them with empathy.
How do you define confidence? Confidence is achieved the day you wake up and finally realize that yes, I do belong in this profession as a leader and as a member of this community. When you no longer fear the reaction others may have to your performance or your statements or your actions, you know viscerally that you belong.
What is one leadership lesson you’ve learned? To truly listen to others and not always be determined to have things my way. Listen not only to words but to the intent. Never presume that what you want is the same as what others want. Never presume your dream is the same as the people you are working with—professionally or in any organization you may be a part of.
What do you do to give back to your community? I was active in professional and community organizations throughout my career, participating on many committees. I have recently become more active in charity work—being a member of Northwest Community Hospital Foundation Board for 12 years while being chair for four of those years, as well as being a member of the WINGS board.
What piece of advice do you wish you received earlier in your career? That there is no such thing as rejection. It is a self-imposed emotion. If someone says “no” to what you want, nothing in your life changes. You are where you were before you asked. So don’t be afraid to ask. Once I began to ask for what I wanted, I was amazed at how often people said “yes.” The fear of asking was misplaced.
For more information, visit familylawsolutionschicago.com/janet-e-boyle.
