At the beginning of 2018 Phillips & Peters decided to try something new. For the first time ever our office took on a yearly theme. The course was set by the partners and together the Phillips & Peters crew aimed to be more accountable. For eight years our mission has been to help our clients move forward and with the year of accountability, we’ve had one of our best years yet!
It was a busy year. With 197 consultations and 164 new clients there was always a lot to do; through it all, Kim Phillips and Corrynn Peters maintained the qualities and characteristics that earn them the recognition of the Top Lawyers of Coastal Virginia by CoVa Biz Magazine and Legal Elite by Virginia Business. Through the patented selection process of Super Lawyers, Jennifer Fuschetti was named a “Rising Star” among her attorney peers and Lisa Jackson became a senior associate at Phillips & Peters.
Many of our highlights from the past year involved giving back to the community. Ms. Fuschetti gave some of her free time to the Virginia Beach Bar Association’s CLASS Program for pro bono work. Leila watched her Kid’s Hope mentee of four years graduate from elementary school. Lisa beat down the threat of hunger by volunteering with meals on wheels. Everyone gave back in some way, but our favorite events were the ones we did together like the annual NPBA & NPS Mock Trial program. Half of the office was involved in this big event that takes months of planning, coordinating, and teaching to pull off. We also sponsored organizations like Peter Decker Children’s Charity and together along with our families, ran in the Triple R Ranch Memorial Day 5K.
Between working and giving the families of Phillips & Peters still had time to grow. The Peters household started the process of becoming foster parents in January and by August had their first beloved placement. Jennifer Fuschetti and her husband welcomed their first child into the world earlier than expected but without complication. Liene and Kim both sent children off to college this year while Ashley Keil’s daughter conquered kindergarten. Nancy Baker on the other hand, as active as she is with her family, found a peaceful space that is all her own with a cozy fireplace to enjoy with her dog, Riley.
A year at Phillips & Peters wouldn’t be complete without some fun. More than half of the office got into the wizarding spirit and joined the masses in Staunton, Virginia for the Harry Potter weekend. We enjoyed the downtown Norfolk scenery in the fall by celebrating the firm’s birthday with a ferry ride and lunch in Portsmouth. For Christmas, everyone dressed up as Buddy the Elf for an evening of celebrating the season.
It was a full and fast-paced year that we had fun going through together. To maintain the level of excellence we achieved this year and hope to exceed in 2019, our attention turns to wellness. When you are juggling work, community, family, and perhaps stressful situations wellness is the last thing on your mind, but it is so important. What does wellness look like in a fast-paced world with a jammed packed schedule? We intend to find out and hope you will join us on the journey by following along through Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
As always, thank you to everyone who made this year amazing. From our family to yours we wish you an amazing new year!