My Origin Story

The challenging life journey to becoming the Joyful Attorney

Life has been pretty interesting so far. I like to think that there is even more to come for me. But hopefully some very different experiences.

After I graduated college at the University of Houston, the Joyful Attorney adventure began when I went to law school at UC Hastings in San Francisco. After that, I took and passed the California bar in 2006.

While on my bar trip to Spain - no, not a trip to Spanish bars! - to improve my Spanish, I decided to move there permanently. I got up a LLM in European Union (EU) law and worked at several large law firms in Madrid working in EU antitrust law.

After seven years, I returned to the US with my husband and child. Neither of them were in the picture before I went to Spain. That shows how life doesn’t always go to plan.

Immigration after a migration

When I came back to the States, we settled in Miami. Immigration law now seemed a natural fit for me, despite the only experience I had with it was handling my husband’s and daughter’s papers.

Neither of them were sent back to Europe so I thought I had made a good start! But I had no idea that immigration law is one of the most complicated and ever-changing areas of the law.

I took as many immigration law courses as I could. I volunteered for a non-profit before being hired by a small firm in Miami. That experience was a trial-by-fire. It wasn’t pleasant. But after seven months I realized that I would be better served by putting out my own shingle.

I started my own practice in August 2014 and I eventually merged my firm with the attorney with whom I was sharing office space. Duque, Kelley and Associates was born. We now have 12 employees in two countries.

Changing my mindset

Sounds wonderful doesn’t it? Sound’s easy? Well, that takes us onto the next big question.

So why did I become a mindset coach? Because I desperately needed one myself.

When you hear people’s stories. You only hear the highlights. You don’t hear the struggle, the pain, the anxiety, the fear.

I have been able to accomplish a lot in my life because I am nothing if not tenacious. But I have also suffered from crippling anxiety and depression at times. I developed a number of extremely bad habits to self-medicating my depression anxiety. I was a binge-eating, binge drinking mess through much of my adult life. I was an angry person with a quick temper.

I was bitter, resentful, and MISERABLE. I blamed everyone for my misery, but most importantly I blamed myself.

My journey to self-growth started with getting my physical fitness in order. I was able to lose about 50 lb. and ended up running a marathon. In my late 30s, I was in the best shape of my life.

But I was still miserable.

I was on an antidepressant and had therapy. These two things were absolutely crucial to recovering from acute depression and severe anxiety. I also developed a daily mindfulness meditation practice.

However, what really led me to an inner transformation was mindset coaching. I discovered Kara Lowenthoel and her teacher Brook Castillo. When I learned that thoughts create our feelings which drive our actions to produce our results, it was like taking the red pill in the matrix.

My mind was blown. Working one-on-one with talented mindset coaches helped me develop unbelievable awareness about my thoughts and feelings.

I had started weight loss and fitness coaching, but it wasn’t until the early days of the pandemic that I decided to get serious and get certified.

The final steps to the Joyful Attorney

The practice of immigration law was incredibly challenging between 2017 and 2020. The policies were changing constantly. The options of our clients were greatly reduced on a daily basis.

I asked my colleagues what they would do if the former president was re-elected and the response shook me. My colleagues were overwhelmingly telling me they would leave the practice of law. At the same time, we saw the enormous cost of the pandemic on parents’ careers. It hit me that I needed to help the helpers.

I believe in the practice of law because I believe in justice. But the practice of law drives too many people away. I knew that change could start with me. It was my desire to help my colleagues that led me to develop my program to pull attorneys out of the flames of burnout.

From there the Joyful Attorney was born. I incorporate mindfulness, coaching, and my experience to help lawyers bring joy, harmony and balance to their practices and their lives.

It worked on me. It can work for you too.