A Day in the Life at Elise Buie Family Law: Meet Paralegal Emily O'Neill

Working as a paralegal at Elise Buie Family Law has been a game-changer for me. I joined the firm in September 2021, and my life — both work and private life — has transformed in ways I never expected. 

It all started when I stumbled upon one of Elise Buie Family Law’s articles on LinkedIn. The firm’s focus on life-work integration, as they call it, and self-care immediately caught my eye, and after doing a deep dive into what they stand for and offer, I was hooked. I knew this was the workplace I’d been dreaming about but didn’t actually believe it could exist.

My path to Elise Buie Family Law Family Law was a bit serendipitous. Growing up in Pearl River, New York, and later attending law school in Ireland, I never imagined my journey would lead me to being part of a work experiment here in Seattle. But that’s what happened when I became an ideal test case for the firm’s move from a 40 to a 30-hour workweek. 

Thanks to my knack for organizing and managing time within my work pod, I fit right into this new experiment. It turned out to be a happy accident that lets me contribute to a bigger vision of life and work while helping the firm, streamline workflows and, hopefully, pave the way for others to enjoy their own lives more than they already do.

Before the transition to 30 hours, Mondays were always the busiest day of my week. That hasn’t changed much. I still kick things off early in the day, mapping out the week and creating a prioritized to-do list for our team. This involves checking in on all clients and setting up notes for our next steps, and making sure all emails and calls receive prompt attention. 

Our pod also meets at the beginning of the week to go over our goals and strategies, at which point I make my own to-do list. This structure helps each of us stay on top of our tasks and finish things up in a timely fashion. By Thursday, I will start prepping for the weekend by seeing what’s next on our agenda for the following week and give clients a timeline to pull together any additional information we need for their case.

As we beta-test the 30-hour workweek by beginning with a 35-hour one, I’m working on refining my rhythm and packing my days with productivity. This has allowed me to experiment with taking time off Friday afternoons and adding more time to my weekend. I plan to experiment in the coming months with various configurations to find what “fills my cup” best while still delivering the work product and care our clients deserve. 

Like many people, I find it much harder to get outside and exercise during the winter months, and trying shorter workdays throughout the week may mean I am not starting and ending my days at my desk in the dark, even in December.  

So far, this added flexibility is allowing me to manage my time even better to suit my personal life. With my new schedule, I can spend more quality time with my husband, Martin, whom I’ve been married to for seven years, and our two dogs, Dash and Ellie. Martin’s work schedule is more traditional than mine, so the extra time I have during the day to devote to personal tasks allows me to really focus on our time together when we’re both not working.

Weekends used to be filled with errands, grocery shopping, and tidying, but now I can handle some of those tasks and chores during the week. This means my weekends are truly mine to enjoy. 

As for the weekdays, I’ve found I can host houseguests and still spend quality time with them in the afternoons and evenings without feeling rushed. I was recently able to fully enjoy Martin’s birthday celebration, going out with him and friends for happy hour without having to rush out the door to get there, cut my workday short, or show up late.

But none of this should really have come as a surprise to me. The 30-hour workweek perfectly matches the Elise Buie Family Law’s commitment to personal well-being. By challenging the idea that productivity equals long hours, we as a team have discovered that focused and efficient work leads to great results no matter which area of life we are focused on at the moment. These new changes just help me even further to find a place of being where work and personal time blend seamlessly.

When Elise revealed at our annual firm feast that I helped inspire the shift to a 30-hour workweek, I was moved. I’ve felt genuinely appreciated since day one at Elise Buie Family Law, and that was another instance of that feeling. 

The firm even sent me a welcome package with a white flag to wave should I ever feel overwhelmed. It came with a note “If you ever need anything or are feeling overwhelmed, just raise your white flag!” I framed that note for my home office, where I have it proudly displayed to remind me of the support I receive daily and am looking forward to giving back to my team for a long, long time to come. 

If you're interested in learning more about Elise Buie Family Law Group and the possibility of joining our team, please check out our current job openings.

Elise Buie is a Seattle divorce and family lawyer and founder of Elise Buie Family Law Group, a law firm devoted to divorce and family law and estate planning. A champion for maintaining civility throughout the divorce process, Elise advocates for her clients and the best interests of their children, helping them move forward with dignity and from a position of strength.