Jessica L. Kruse

Rising Star

Jessica L. Kruse began her legal career because her husband-to-be owned several Subway franchises.

“I was actually a music theater performance major,” Kruse says with a laugh. “Seeing his efforts as a business owner, I thought it would be useful to have a lawyer in the family.”

Kruse eventually left music theater. In 2006, she graduated law school near the top of her class at the University of Tulsa.

For the first three years of her career, Kruse worked as an associate attorney with the Malkmus Law Firm, in Springfield. She focused on commercial and business work. In January 2010, she started a solo practice.

“At first it was a forced decision, due to a potential move,” she says. “When that didn’t happen, I found myself enjoying the time I spent with my kids. So instead of looking for another job in the area, I decided to go out on my own so I could be more flexible.”

As a part-time solo practitioner, Kruse has found success. For her, it means balancing her career with raising her two young daughters.

“I truly do not know how she does it,” says Debra Gullet, an associate attorney with the Malkmus Law Firm. “Jessica plans well in advance and is a great multi-tasker, so I assume those qualities make her a great lawyer, parent and wife.”

At first, Kruse ran her solo business out of her basement.

“I usually met clients in their home or at coffee shops,” she says. “But I’ve learned that it is a constant balancing act. For any solo practitioner, it’s important to not panic when you see the calendar for the next month and you don’t have a lot of work on the schedule. It comes. And it’s easy to take on too much so that you are overwhelmed.”

Today, she shares office space and a receptionist with a fellow solo practitioner.

“I have very humble goals,” she says. “If I’m doing 20 billable hours at 100 bucks an hour, I’m happy.”

She believes her work-life balance helps her better serve clients.

“I honestly believe that you can’t provide good service to your clients if you are not a well-rounded individual,” Kruse says. “You have to draw from experiences that you have outside the office.”

Despite her self-professed humble goals, Kruse is starting to take on a new specialty. Seeing a potential void in elder care attorneys, Kruse started shadowing two Springfield elder care attorneys who will retire soon. She plans to focus on that area of practice in the future.

Kruse also recently participated in Leadership Springfield, a selective program that brings 30 city leaders together for a series of workshops and conferences. The goal of the program is to plug those professionals into the nonprofit scene.

“Being part of that organization has really helped me grow as a professional,” she says. “I learned a lot during the year, and the connections I’ve made have been incredible.”