Today we’d like to introduce you to Caroline Johnson.
Hi Caroline, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in Boca Raton, went to Florida Atlantic University for undergraduate school, and studied psychology. My parents had raised my siblings and me with a passion for education, so I knew I would go to graduate school, but I didn’t know what I would do. I was talking with my mom about the different post-undergraduate options for psychology majors when she said, “You should think about law school.”
That was really out of character for her. She liked for us to make our own decisions, but this was something she really thought I would be interested in, and my sister, Christen Ritchey, had recently started law school at the University of Florida Levine College of Law, so I figured, “Alright fine, I’ll check this out.” I didn’t even know it at the time, but my mom had given my sister the same advice.
I think my mom just knew something we didn’t, and that it would be a great path for us. I really credit my parents for where we have both ended up. While my sister and I were in law school together at UF, we decided that one day we’d open our own law firm. Right after law school, I started my career as a prosecutor, and I loved it. I spent a couple of years at the State Attorney’s Office where I fell in love with the courtroom.
After that, I switched to civil litigation. Then in 2014, Christen and I finally started our own firm, and we were so excited. We had been doing family law and other areas of civil litigation, but when we opened our practice, most of the calls were from people who needed help navigating a family law matter.
We decided, “If these are the clients who are calling for us, let’s become great at this, and focus all our efforts on becoming the best we can be in family law.” It’s almost like this area of the law chose us. We’ve been doing family law exclusively since then, and that’s how we ended up here.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have definitely been ups and downs along the way. No, it has not been a straight, smooth path. The things that weren’t necessarily the best, were absolutely learning experiences. We’ve become better from everything that could have been considered a “setback.” There’s been a lot of determination, a lot of self-reflection, and a lot of growth along the way. I wouldn’t say it has been a perfect or smooth road, but it’s been a rewarding journey.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a full-service family law firm. We help our clients navigate everything from the dissolution of marriage to all of the issues therein: parenting issues, child support, equitable distribution of assets and liabilities, alimony, and recovery of attorneys’ fees. We handle anything from aggressive litigation to collaborative cases and alternative dispute resolution.
Personally, I oversee the litigation department for the firm. I’m known for being an advocate for my clients in the courtroom. I love trials. However, I always try to help my clients reach a fair and equitable resolution outside of the courtroom whenever possible. But when it’s time to go to trial, everyone knows I’m ready to do so. We pride ourselves on handling cases as efficiently as possible. We try very hard to get to a fair resolution, to help our clients move forward toward closure, and to move on from the court process.
We’re also a really fun firm. Our team morale is extremely important to us. We work really hard but also take the time to destress together. We try to handle the stressful work we do in a manner that creates a healthy, balanced environment so that we are always in a position to operate at our best because the quality of representation is the most important thing to us when it comes to our clients.
What matters most to you? Why?
My family matters the most to me out of anything in this world. They are my favorite part of my day, every day. And I think that’s why I take this area of law so seriously because I know we are helping people navigate issues dealing with some of the most important things in their lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jrfamilylaw.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jrfamilylaw/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jrfamilylawfirm
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/johnson-ritchey-family-law-pllc
