Page 2 - Solomiany

Attorney of the Month
Marvin Solomiany
A LOT
L ast year, Marvin Solomiany, manag- ing partner of Kessler & Solomiany, co-authored his first book, “A Cup Of
Coffee With 10 Of The Top Divorce Attor- neys In The United States.” We were fortu- nate to sit down over a cup of coffee (truth be told: Diet Coke) with this next generation leader in family law to discuss the success of the firm, his impressive career thus far and what continues to drive him today.
What’s the secret to your successful work “marriage?”
This is the only career I’ve known, and I’ve worked with Randy (Kessler) since I was a first year at Emory Law School. I attribute this longevity to several things. First, I love the field of family law, which I didn’t necessarily know when I gradu- ated from Emory’s law school at 22. I was interested in litigation and knew that both criminal and family law were areas where you could gain exposure to the courtroom early on. I was a law clerk for Randy (Kes- sler) while at Emory and went to work for him full-time in 1998. As it turns out, fam- ily law has been a perfect fit for me and is far more fascinating than I could have imagined. Dealing with high asset divorces exposes you to many other areas of law in addition to litigation such as corporate, trusts and estates, real estate, tax, criminal and personal injury. There is never a dull moment in the domestic relations field.
I’ve also been fortunate to learn from one of the best in Randy Kessler. We both have different, yet complementary, strengths,
By Jan Jaben-Eilon
so it’s a good partnership. Randy is much more in the public eye, and I enjoy prac- ticing family law on a daily basis as well as the business aspects of managing the firm, which I took on when I became part- ner in 2003. As a plus, managing the firm has given me insight into advising clients who own or manage their own businesses, which has been very helpful.
Tell me about the growth of the firm.
The transformation of our building (Centennial Tower), which has been home to our offices since the firm’s inception, is a good metaphor for our practice. When we started out, the building could be de- scribed as a little shabby – not the Class A space it is today. Similarly, we were a small firm that had not yet established a reputation. We had approximately 1500 square feet for three attorneys, a paralegal and we did not even have a computer net- work. In fact, when I started practicing, I did not even have a desk and had to turn an old credenza into a desk by hammering a hole into it. Today, Centennial Tower is a showcase building, and we have grown to 14 attorneys and nine additional parale- gals and staff, making us one of the largest family law firms in Georgia. Our offices are housed in 13,000 square feet, spanning two floors, and we have spectacular views of the city from every angle. It’s a great place to be, both physically and metaphorically.
Most of our growth occurred from 2004- 2008, and we have continued to add about one attorney a year. You have to be careful
in a family law practice such as ours that you don’t get too big or attorneys within the firm will start conflicting each other out. At the same time, we’re not afraid to add lawyers. We’re always on the lookout for exceptional talent and look for leaders in the field: attorneys who are lecturers and authors and who are active with the Ameri- can Bar Association and with the State Bar. We want them to lead by example and be at the forefront of the practice area.
Our billing requirements are purpose- fully less than most family law firms as we strive to create an environment where attorneys are happy and can balance the stress that comes from dealing with the most complicated emotional problems of any field of law. We sincerely believe that striking such a balance will lead our attor- neys to do a better job for our clients.
We handle cases from the simple to com- plex and typically represent middle to up- per-income clients. Over the years, our cli- ent roster has grown to include entertainers, athletes, actors, musicians, public figures, Fortune 500 executives and other high net worth individuals. While we probably rep- resent more athletes and entertainers than most family law firms, such high profile cas- es are not the mainstay of our practice. Most of my work focuses on high-income divorce cases, prenuptial agreements, and interstate child support and custody matters. I save my managing partner duties for after hours and the weekend, which provide a good escape from family law.
24 | www.AttorneyAtLawMagazine.com
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