Powerlist – Catherine La Fleur – La Fleur Law

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From the ballet barre to passing the bar, a big win early in her solo practice career gave Catherine La Fleur the confidence she needed to know she’d made the right decision.

While dancing five hours a day at the Milwaukee Ballet and attending college, La Fleur’s international law professor convinced her to go to law school. Making the 180-degree switch, she’s never looked back.

After an eye-opening conversation with her then-3-year-old son involving a birthday pinata and assessing the number of hours she was working, La Fleur opened her own practice in Milwaukee in 1996. Six months later, she retained a case in Door County with a pre-trial demand of $750,000, but after a week-long trial it ended in a defense verdict in favor of La Fleur’s client.

“My first love is jury trials, but I really feel like I can help people move forward in family law,” said La Fleur.

La Fleur Law is a certified woman-owned law firm and a member of the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF). She specializes in civil litigation, family law, alternative dispute resolution, and appellate law. La Fleur credits NAMWOLF for continuing to find meaningful case work.