A graduate of the John Marshall Law School, Florence has been a successful business consultant for over 12 years.  She has a Masters in Business Administration with a focus on Entrepreneurship from DePaul University and received a Bachelors in Business Administration from Howard University.  She worked for the City of Chicago, DePaul University, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Trucrowd Illinois, Inc, the first registered equity Crowdfunding platform in Illinois. Besides her duties with truCrowd, she also operates her own law firm focusing on small business owners, artists and artisans.  Florence is also an Adjunct Professor of Business Ethics and Entrepreneurship at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  Florence has lived and studied in Chicago, Illinois, Washington, DC and Berlin, Germany.  

Q: How did you learn about Lawyers for the Creative Arts and what led you to apply to join the Associate Board?
A: I have known about the LCA since before law school.  I have been a professional artist for years and looked to the organization when I needed assistance. I joined the Associate Board in 2019 and have been a member for less than 1 year. 

What do you enjoy about being an Associate Board member? 
I enjoy the network that being a member provides, along with the range of educational opportunities that exist.

What types of LCA matters have you taken on?
I have done small copyright cases. 

What advice would you give to an attorney who is considering taking an LCA matter?
Be ready to educate your clients and have patience to deal with them should they not understand the concepts upon first explanation.

What has it been like working with our clients? How does the experience differ from your job at your firm?
In my firm, I work with mostly small business owners and artists so there has not been much difference in my experience. 

Do you have any personal background in the arts?
I am a professional fiber artist and have had a piece of art displayed in the Blackstone Hotel in downtown Chicago (pictured at right).

Do you participate in or follow the arts here in Chicago?
Absolutely. I love all mediums of arts and try to go on art tours monthly with my husband. The range and vibrancy of the art scene always surprises me when I compare it to other metro areas. 

How does LCA support the arts in Chicago and why do you think this work is so vital to the arts?
Being able to provide artist and artisans with the support they need to keep creating is what makes Chicago the exciting place it is. 

Finally, which tv-show/movie/song/book have you recently finished that you would recommend? 
I just finished binge watching “Airplane Repo” and thoroughly enjoyed the series. 

Thank you to Florence for taking the time to answer our questions! Follow us on social media for future Featured Members from our Associate Board.