By Nina Kieffer, Photos by Joe Simon

In January of 1989, the Harvard Business Review published an article by Felice Schwartz titled “Management Women and the New Facts of Life.” Schwartz was president of Catalyst, a nationally recognized consulting firm whose mission was to assist women re-entering the work force and help corporations find qualified women to serve on their boards. She spent the rest of her life dealing with the firestorm of controversy that her article instigated. In it, Schwartz contended that U.S. companies would have to be more open to the needs of working mothers if they wanted to attract and retain them. She identified two types of employees—those who put their careers ahead of all other life responsibilities and those who wished to balance demands of both career and family. In suggesting that employers temporarily reduce job duties to help women equalize obligations of job and home (dubbed the “Mommy Track” by The New York Times), Schwartz raised the ire of feminists who saw the suggestion as promoting sex discrimination and second class status for working mothers.

Even though Schwartz’s tireless pioneering efforts on behalf of work-life balance for parents (not just mothers) helped result in improvements such as flex-time, maternity and paternity leave and telecommuting options in many careers, the validity and necessity of the “mommy track” is still a hot topic for debate.

Fast forward almost twenty years, and you’ll find many women struggling today to maintain their sanity as they juggle the demands of work and family. In many cases, staying home is not an option even if one would rather do so. Many careers are grueling and in environments resistant to change. What do you do if you want to find a middle ground between forsaking your family and putting your career aspirations on hold?

If you’re Jennifer Wolfe, founder of the law firm Wolfe, LPA, one of the fastest-growing woman-owned law firms in the country, you strike out on your own and rewrite the rules.

With a BS in Journalism, Wolfe initially chose public relations/marketing as her career. She quickly realized that a law degree would give her many more options. Simultaneous to earning her JD at the University of Cincinnati, she threw in an MA in Organizational Communication & Management.  She began her legal career at a traditional litigation firm, and then established her own solo practice. When she was confined to bed rest during pregnancy complications, Wolfe was inspired to develop a business plan for the creation a family-friendly law firm.

Wolfe, LPA is the realization of Wolfe’s dream to own her own business. Prior to pursuing her law degree, she worked for a publishing company as Marketing Director. The company was steeped in a culture of entrepreneurial energy and drive, which made a lasting impression on her.

Her husband, Bob Wolfe, a successful entrepreneur himself, functions as operations manager for the firm and has been instrumental in implementing technical enhancements that have led to a paperless office environment. The network has been designed so that all employees, assigned fully functioning laptops, can perform their jobs from home or on the road when necessary.

Wolfe, LPA, is what’s known as a “boutique” firm, one that specializes in a few core areas, rather than a general practice firm that requires development of expertise, staff and processes in many more areas of legal practice. Contract lawyers are hired on occasion to provide a broader range of services when needed.

The firm, with the hub office in Cincinnati and a satellite office in New York City, concentrates on technology and licensing contracts and intellectual property strategy serving Fortune 1000 companies. The specialization allows for streamlined services and efficient, consistent quality control processes. Seemingly small improvements implemented at Wolfe, LPA (like providing two monitors for each workstation), enhance performance and productivity for all coworkers.

Wolfe describes the firm as a “family affair,” noting that in addition to herself and Bob Wolfe, two of the attorneys are a married couple, and her mother is the comptroller. Wolfe says that the quality of work relationships is an important factor in job satisfaction. The firm also supports non-profit causes and encourages staff to become involved on company time. This year’s focus is the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The firm is spearheading a fundraising effort by supporting Wolfe in the annual Man & Woman of the Year Campaign. As a group, the firm is planning events, seeking donations and selling tickets and sponsorships to the final fundraising event on May 7, 2010 at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Hall of Mirrors. (For more information, visit www.wolfeforleukemia.com.)

Never one to skate along, Wolfe recently co-wrote a book with Ann H. Chasser, former U.S. Commissioner of Trademarks. Brand Rewired, published by John Wiley and Sons, is scheduled for release this June. Wolfe and Chasser interviewed top innovation officers and intellectual property lawyers at consumer giants such as Procter & Gamble, Kraft Foods, Yahoo, and many more to discover future trends in innovation, branding and intellectual property strategy.

Her commitment to entrepreneurial culture remains steadfast. She was the first woman and youngest president of the Greater Cincinnati Venture Association, and currently serves as chair and is a member of the board of trustees.

On the personal side, Wolfe is diligent about creating and maintaining boundaries that allow her to keep her work hours manageable. She is protective of her time and schedules no meetings in the early mornings or late afternoons that would interfere with getting son Jack (seven) on the bus and then off again in the afternoon. She believes in being significantly involved in her child’s life and has no intention of “farming him out.” In addition to overseeing homework and making sure school responsibilities are met, she and Jack are taking piano lessons together, which satisfies a long-time desire of hers to play the piano; gardening and daily exercise round out a full and satisfying life.

When asked about her long-range goals, she doesn’t hesitate. She envisions developing a foundation/incubator that provides assistance, education and networking opportunities to early-stage entrepreneurial companies. This incubator would be dedicated to community building and bootstrapping local businesses. Wolfe is a firm believer in growing a business organically, without growing a concomitant debt, a discipline she maintains in her own enterprise.

By taking her own path, Wolfe knows she can make the world a better place both at home and at work, both now and in the future. And that, as Robert Frost said, has made all the difference.