Life Span hired two new attorneys to bolster our services to survivors. Kelly Ehrenreich, originally from Kansas City, works out of our Des Plaines office, while Courtney Quam, who grew up in Las Vegas, will call our downtown office home.
What was it like joining Life Span during a pandemic?
Kelly: Joining in a pandemic is difficult because meeting team members and clients in person is so important to communication and trust-building, but Zoom has forced us to be more intentional about reaching out and connecting. Plus practicing law in yoga pants is a treat.
Courtney: It’s hard to learn how to lawyer from your living room. However, my new coworkers have been wonderful about all of us working under less than ideal circumstances. We’ve been able to adapt.
What do you like the most about Life Span?
Kelly: I love that Life Span is fully and transparently committed to serving people who have experienced gender-based violence with not only major legal services (Domestic Relations and Immigration), but also holistic services in court advocacy, counseling, and resource support.
Courtney: I like how collaborative it is. Everyone works together to help our clients.
How are you already helping Life Span’s clients?
Kelly: I seek to support my clients at Life Span with compassion, understanding, radical frankness, and commitment to teamwork (not just with fellow staff, but with the clients themselves).
Courtney: I have co-counseled in an order of protection hearing, I’ve obtained temporary maintenance payments for another client, and I’ve proved up a case and was able to obtain a judgment for dissolution of marriage.
Anything about you that you’d like to share?
Kelly: I enjoy watching Turner Classic Movies, cheering on my Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, playing trivia, doing pilates, eating carbs, and listening to too many podcasts.
Courtney: I love going to concerts (pre-covid), being outdoors, and spending time with my significant other and my friends. I absolutely love animals, I have 2 cats, a ball python, and a gecko. I am a big Cubs fan.
