We recently connected with Jeena Belil and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jeena, really appreciate you joining us to talk about a really relevant, albeit unfortunate topic – layoffs and getting fired. Can you talk to us about your experience and how you overcame being let go?
I established my own personal injury law firm.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
In 2007, I was in-house Managing Counsel for an insurance company. My entire department was part of a series of layoffs before the company went belly-up. I had a three year old at home and decided that I did not want to spend my days commuting and working in a corporate setting, just to come home exhausted and have no energy for my daughter. I decided instead to start a different kind of personal injury law firm. One that was virtual and mobile..long before those concepts became more of the norm. I did most of my work from home, meeting clients at my Regus Office, in their homes or over Skype. My clients loved the convenience of NOT having to come to my office, especially those with catastrophic injuries. In the early years, most personal injury lawyers I worked with were skeptical of my practice, priding themselves on their brick-and-mortar set-ups. The business plan that I stuck with made my firm disaster-ready and I was able to continue working seamlessly through COVID. Many law firms today have now transitioned into the model I set up sixteen years ago. To this day, I have never strayed from providing services that are the most convenient to my clients, which include communication through text, FaceTime, and Zoom as well as traditional face-to-face meetings. As a result of how I set up my law firm, I was also able to achieve the coveted work-life balance, being available for my daughter as she grew up.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Don’t be afraid to fail – failing forces you to pick up the pieces, learn, and improve.
2. Ask your Village for help -I had a tough time delegating when I first started my firm. Over time, I learned that letting go and having my family and colleagues lend me a hand, contributed to my overall success.
3. Stay true to your vision, even when others may not agree with it or understand it.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
From the time I was a kid, my parents always allowed me to be myself and supported any decisions I made, as long as they were well thought-out. They also were instrumental in helping me with child care when my daughter was a pre-schooler and I was starting my solo practice. They have always been my unwavering cheerleaders and I am so grateful to them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jeenabelil.com
- Instagram: @law_office_of_jeena_belil
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LongIslandAccidentLaw
- Linkedin: Jeena Belil
Image Credits
All photos credit to Terrie Alfieri Photography
