Kindra Deneau brings an entirely unique vantagepoint to The Deneau Law Firm. Her background in business ownership eventually blossomed into a law career and because of her diverse experiences, she can connect with her clients in the most meaningful way.
AN UNEXPECTED PATH
Deneau graduated from Arizona State University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, an honors certificate from the Barrett Honors College, a minor in Spanish through its travel abroad program and a minor in family studies.
“It was out of the ordinary and not planned,” Deneau explains of her eventual foray into law. “I wanted to be a therapist, but at the same time, I was unclear if I wanted to do just that. I really liked doing research and had disseminated custom surveys and had run advanced statistics based upon hypotheses while I was working on my honors thesis.”
Her thesis revolved around family issues and divorce, which eventually resulted in a publication that is cited to in family law textbooks. “I found that I liked making a difference in a very hands-on kind of way,” Deneau says. “I wanted to do something more analytical to tangibly help people dealing with conflict or a difficult time in their lives. In addition to listening and helping them cope, I enjoyed researching and problem solving those issues to facilitate and see them, hopefully, through a better outcome.”
She was also working with nonprofit organization Chrysalis as a client advocate for abused women and children escaping domestic violence.
With her new realization, Deneau resumed her studies at the Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. During that time, she took a job as a law clerk researching and writing briefs for a commercial litigation firm. Simultaneously, she was assisting her husband with the operation of their family owned business, Apollo Vending LLC. The successful company was sold off in two separate transactions.
After graduation, Deneau worked two years as a paralegal and discovered her passion for the law. She graduated in 2005 as a law, science, and technology scholar with an intellectual property certificate for her studies in trademark, copyright, trade secret and patent law.
A NEW ERA
In 2008, the three-year lawyer launched her own firm and she hasn’t looked back since. The Deneau Law Firm is a growing firm located near Kiwanis Park and practices in the areas of business, wills, estate planning and trusts, defense and real estate law.
“I think it’s unique that a lot of firms that practice in commercial law tend to be a larger size, on average,” says Deneau. “We are able to provide a more individualized and boutique touch for our clients. We definitely take a hands-on approach and I like to be more creative and think outside of the box in the style and strategy for each case, contract and transaction.”
She also enjoys discussing various options with clients so that they have some different legal approaches to consider.
The Deneau Firm accepts a variety of cases in its practice areas and has that flexibility and years of expertise thanks to Deneau’s having started out originally as a paralegal. “Business representations involving technology and LLCs are common, including partnership dispute litigation cases, because Arizona has a high concentration of entrepreneurs that own closely-held LLCs,” she says. “Real estate is also a common denominator amongst business owner clients of ours as well, since Arizona is very real estate driven.”
PART OF THE COMMUNITY
Deneau is an expert on LLC matters, governance and best practices covering various facets of business structure. She recently filmed a seminar specifically geared for attorneys, entitled “Mini MBA for Attorneys.”
She does not try to take on every single case that comes her way and often refers out to other local attorneys. “Having gone to ASU for undergrad and law school, I am fortunate to know a lot of attorneys here in town,” Deneau says.
“We love to support ASU,” she continues. “I regular take on externs or law clerks from ASU, so most of the time I have someone from ASU working for me. My husband also has worked at ASU for the last 13 years as a principle analyst building IT systems. He built and maintains the IT Fulton Engineering scholarship database system from scratch, in addition to building other IT systems and supporting new technologies which are used across engineering and other colleges.”
Deneau and her husband, Nathan, were high school sweethearts and have a young son. As a busy mom to a 7-year-old son, Deneau juggles her home life and career.
“It’s always a work in progress and we’re always trying to improve. It always helps to have help and the more hands, the better,” she says. Deneau also credits her staff for being exceptional with their work at the firm, making her job just a bit easier.
Deneau currently serves as vice president of the Thurgood Marshall Inn of Court and continues to support Chrysalis philanthropically. Additionally, she is involved in the autism community and those in her firm will be participating in the autism walk for the third year. She also does ongoing food box donations for the TCA. In keeping to her ASU roots, Deneau is also a volunteer mentor at the Barrett Honors College and the ASU Business College entrepreneurial programs.
She is highly committed to her firm, and sees growth in its future. “I see us getting a little bit bigger,” she finishes. “I have enough space in my renovated office to continue to grow and maybe take on at least one partner and three associates … and they might just come from ASU!”
