Interview the Experts: Meet Donna, Founder and Managing Attorney of Stepp Law Group!
Read on to learn more about Donna, our founder and managing attorney, on her background, experiences, and why she chose to work in family law. Read until the end to hear a fun fact!
What is your background and how did you get into law?
That’s a long answer! I was born in California and raised in Northern Virginia. I earned my undergraduate degree there. Then I went to Campbell Law School, which is what brought me to North Carolina. When I graduated, I wanted to be a prosecutor. It took me about a year to get that job, so I worked at a small firm until then. I got a job as a prosecutor and worked in this area, which brought me to Union County. For almost 5 years, I prosecuted cases involving everything from traffic violations to multiple death penalty cases. Eventually, I decided I wanted to do something else. So I opened my own practice and I’ve been running my own business ever since!
What made you choose family law?
It chose me, I didn’t choose it! When I opened my own practice, I had no clients and no business. I was not from here and didn’t know anybody, other than the attorneys I had met as a prosecutor. I was fortunate enough to have an older attorney rent me an office within his office for a modest fee, and I just sat in there and tried to figure out what to do and how to make money. There was a court-appointed list back then, as there was no public defender here in this county, so I started doing criminal defense work for people who were indigent and needed help. At the time, there were only two other female attorneys in Union County. And for some reason, everyone started calling my office wanting separation agreements or they were going through a divorce or experiencing other family law issues. I began learning family law, and within two years I had to choose between which specialty I would do because it’s hard to do both really well. So family law became that choice!
If you could provide any piece of advice about going through a divorce, managing assets, and/or child custody, what would you say?
Get a lawyer and listen to your lawyer! [That’s what Ashton said too!] Don’t do it by yourself, find and hire an expert and listen to your lawyer.
In your opinion, how has family law changed over the years?
When I first started practicing family law, a client would come in to see me for legal advice after they had left their home and their spouse, so that by the time someone was coming to see me, the parties were already living separately. About 15 to 20 years ago, that shifted to where many of my clients began to come in to see me for legal advice before anyone had left their home or separated. It’s certainly a better way to handle it, as it is better for everyone to know what their rights, obligations and duties are before a dramatic change in lifestyle such as a separation from a spouse.
How long have you been practicing law, and what part of that was family law?
Thirty-one years this year! And all but four of those years have been in family law. In 2007, I was privileged to earn the title of being a certified family law specialist by the North Carolina State Bar.
Has there been any case in the past, like a Supreme Court case or something similar, that has particularly stood out to you or changed legal precedent at all?
The overturning of Roe v. Wade. I mean, I never thought I would see that in my lifetime. That is a significant development, no matter what side you are on of the political view or women’s rights view. It is a historically important case, and I think we will be litigating that issue for many years to come.
If you could practice any other field of law, which would you do?
None, I would retire! In all seriousness, I would probably choose to return to the practice of criminal law. I really enjoyed practicing criminal law; I liked prosecuting, and I liked defending clients charged with crimes in the early part of my career. Most of my clients were very grateful for help and assistance. Even if they were guilty, they were nice and polite. They all just wanted to be treated fairly and get a “good deal”.
And lastly, the most important question is, is a Pop Tart secretly a sweet ravioli?
Hmm…I’m going to say no! They are very bad for you, but my children loved them when they were little, so it was Pop Tarts every day before school. I’d have to say it’s more like instant sugar in a pastry. Not good for you, but it is what it is. 🙂 I have to say that if I had told my girls that a Pop Tart was a sweet ravioli, I would have probably been much more successful at getting them to choose a healthier breakfast back then!