Shortly after passing the bar, alumna Chantal Duisters ‘13 is enjoying her career as managing partner at Duisters & Parvizi, LLP. Focused on Estate Planning and Trust Administration, Duisters & Parvizi, LLP has quickly developed a reputation for providing comprehensive and tailored legal services to the San Diego community.
Duisters, who previously worked as a legal assistant, enrolled at Thomas Jefferson School of Law with a broad goal and an open mind, “I knew very early on in my life, prior to law school, that I wanted to choose a career that would have a positive impact on people’s lives. I have always been passionate about building strong relationships with individuals and providing support to those in need.”
A testament to her commitment, during law school, Duisters maintained a position as a law clerk at Liedle, Lounsbery, Larson & Lidl, LLP, a defense firm with offices across California. After passing the bar she became an Associate Attorney with that firm and eventually decided to start her own practice with fellow alumna Nastaran Parvizi ‘13. “Although I was grateful for the experience and the wonderful attorneys I worked with, I knew that I wanted to practice in an area of law that would allow me to have more client interaction and provide services that would make a difference in people’s lives,” Duisters said.
“An attorney I worked for throughout law school once sat me down and told me not to get stuck at a firm or in a practice area that I become comfortable with,” she recalled. “The attorney assured me that fifteen years down the road I would be very unhappy and it would be much more difficult for me to switch areas of practice after investing a significant amount of time.” With that advice and a strong interest in estate planning, Duisters set out to build her practice.
“I have an opportunity to learn something new every day,” Duisters said enthusiastically. “Each client our firm retains comes to us with different circumstances which allows us the opportunity to provide them with the legal services that are best suited for their individual needs. The most rewarding part of my job is knowing that our firm helps individuals carry on their legacy after death. We provide our clients with the peace of mind that their wishes will be carried on after their passing, whether it is in regards to their estate, health care decisions, or decisions relating to their minor children.”
“Estate planning can be a very sensitive subject to discuss and plan for,” Duisters explained. “It is very rewarding to know that we furnish an environment of trust for our clients, which helps them feel comfortable enough to proceed with retaining our law firm”
In addition to her years in the legal field, Duisters attributes her ability to take on the challenge of becoming a managing partner to Thomas Jefferson School of Law. “Law school provided me with a great professional foundation. My experience during my three years at Thomas Jefferson, followed by sitting for the California Bar Exam taught me self-discipline and dedication,” Duisters stated. “Thomas Jefferson provided a wonderful environment with supportive staff, which helped significantly minimize the stress of law school. If it were not for Thomas Jefferson, I would not have met my business partner!”
“My advice to recent graduates would be for them to choose a career path that they are passionate about,” Duisters said. “Not every work day will be fun and exciting. However, when you are working towards something you love, it makes it a lot easier to wake up every morning and provide the best quality of work for your clients.”
