“When we go to law school, we learn that we’re not just attorneys; we’re counselors and that to me is a big part of our work. We invest a lot of valuable time talking clients through complex issues by thoroughly explaining how we will handle each challenge one at a time for them,” says Lisa Nommensen, partner at Nooney Roberts Hewett & Nowicki.
“We are an ‘old fashioned’ traditional law firm in the very best sense of that term,” she says. “We take the counselor element of our work very seriously. We’re not just legal functionaries. We really do care about all aspects of our clients’ lives. We’re always thinking ahead, but we remain very people oriented.”
Nommensen made the substantial leap from a career in tourism and hospitality to the law. While she enjoyed the work (and the perks that came with it), she felt she wasn’t serving her purpose. She felt drawn to help people in a more significant way. Encouraged by her late Danish grandmother, Anni Duke, she accepted the challenge and left hospitality for Florida Coastal School of Law where she thrived.
While at Coastal, she was a member of the nationally ranked Moot Court Honor Board; the secretary of the Military Law Society; a member of Phi Delta Phi Legal Honors Society; and the recipient of the Pro Bono Honors award for logging more than 250 pro bono hours.
She interned for the United States Attorney Jacksonville Division under the mentorship of AUSA Rodney Brown. She also served as a judicial extern with the Honorable Joel B. Toomey of the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida.
“I shadowed behind the scenes of both sides of legal proceedings – from the impartial view of a judge and from the perspective of the United States – and the different ways to approach legal issues,” she said. “A lot of the tools of the trade that I learned while interning are invaluable in helping me counsel my clients today.”
Her experience in hospitality and tourism has also proven to be an asset in working with clients who are often in highly stressful situations. “You learn to listen to their grievances and take them seriously and to empathize with them. At our firm, we let our clients know we take them seriously and we’re not going to ignore their concerns. They’re in the best hands possible,” she says.
Her career at Nooney, Roberts, Hewett & Nowicki began in 2014 as a law clerk. During her time as a clerk, she had the unique opportunity to learn different styles from the partners, Scott Nooney, Michael Roberts, Chris Hewett and Kristopher Nowicki. After working for the firm during her last two years of law school, she was offered a position when she completed her Juris Doctor in 2016. Her practice focuses primarily on auto accidents, premises liability and general negligence.
“Thankfully, I have paralegals and support staff now, but I started out at the bottom and worked my way up. I have an appreciation for communicating properly with the clients so they understand what’s happening at each stage of the case. I’ve done everything from drafting the complaint to serving the defendants through settling the case at mediation, while working as closely as possible with my clients.”
Nommensen’s evolution from law clerk to associate attorney to partner has not changed her focus on human relations. “When managing staff, I always try to get feedback from the person that will be affected the most by the policy or procedure change. When we make changes, we try to incorporate the concerns and opinions of everyone involved. As an attorney with our clients and as a manager with our staff, I believe it is essential to be available to not only listen, but to actually hear their concerns.”
Her advice to women law students and law school graduates who are perhaps not fully certain of their eventual career path is to take full advantage of the many opportunities available to them. She encourages volunteering with community organizations, especially those involved with the legal profession such as the Jacksonville Bar Associations or with the Young Lawyers events.
“Shadowing attorneys, paralegals and others in the field provides opportunities to balance studies with real-world experience,” she says. “Sit in on ex parte or any available hearings and get some real experience in the many options available.” After class or during lunch breaks in law school, Nommensen found time to attend hearings, meet different attorneys and legal professionals, and make contacts.
“Get your name out there. Start shaking hands and let people know who you are. Seek out and contact mentors. You need to find somebody you feel you can rely on to ask those tough questions about salary, work-life balance, tricks and pitfalls of the profession, and some of your expectations. You will be surprised at how many top attorneys in the field are more than willing to help young attorneys on their way up,” she says.
Nommensen encourages a strong support system at home, as well. A career in the legal field can be very demanding emotionally and physically. It is important to surround yourself by family and friends. “Whether it’s a visit with my mom or a phone call to my dad and sisters for a pep talk, I am fortunate to have a tremendous support system!”
Nommensen quotes the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the increasing role of women in power positions in the law: Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.
“Occasionally, I, and other women attorneys, are mistaken for being a legal secretary, but that is changing for the better,” she says. She also advises young attorneys, especially young women attorneys to develop a thick skin and to avoid getting easily offended. “You have to set the tone and establish what you will and will not tolerate in terms of behavior. And you have to communicate that. Speak up, but don’t fall into the toxic traps. We’re all here, ultimately, to work together for our clients’ benefit.”
Nommensen is active in the legal community and in the community at large. She has served on the board of directors for the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association for three years. She has also served as a high school mentor for four years in the Future Lawyers Program at Ribault High School. She is on the board of Arize Together, a nonprofit for creating a community and access to resources for women who are survivors of sexual exploitation and trafficking.
“As a personal injury attorney, we’re in a unique position involving clients who have had significant and often traumatic injuries that affect every aspect of their lives and the lives of their families. Our job is to not only get them through the crisis, but to let them know by our performance that we are there for them every day of the process and beyond,” Nommensen says.
