Elizabeth Hartsell has always known one thing about herself: she is happiest when she’s helping people. 

She grew up in Winston-Salem, headed to Boone for college at App State, and eventually moved to Raleigh. For a while, she thought she wanted to work for the FBI, until an internship at the District Attorney’s Office confirmed two things: she loved criminal justice, and she wanted to work in the legal field. 

Then Elizabeth went through UNC’s paralegal program. Learning from people who worked in family law every day, something clicked. Here was an area of law where the legal issues were inseparable from what was happening in someone’s actual life. 

Elizabeth went on to pass the exam and become a North Carolina State Bar Certified Paralegal. 

At Triangle Smart Divorce, she brings that legal background to Client Care. 

When someone first contacts TSD, Elizabeth knows there is usually a much bigger story behind the few sentences they can fit into a form or explain on an initial phone call. She takes the time to understand that story, gather the information our Team needs, and help determine what kind of help makes sense.   

That makes Client Care an important part of the process, not simply the step before someone talks to an attorney. Elizabeth helps make sure the right questions are being asked early so that, when it is time for the consultation, both the Client and our Team have a much clearer picture of what brought them to us. 

And sometimes the most helpful answer is that TSD isn’t the right place for someone’s particular situation. Elizabeth understands that helping people means being honest about that, too, and helping point them toward other resources when we can. 

It turns out that hearing people’s stories and helping them figure out what comes next is exactly the kind of work Elizabeth was looking for all along. 

Outside the office, Elizabeth is happiest outdoors, whether she’s snowboarding, golfing, climbing or sailing. She also loves traveling, cooking, baking, and reading about social science and history.

Elizabeth is also a big sports fan. She loves App State football and was raised correctly, as she puts it, as a Carolina fan thanks to her dad who went to UNC. She will watch almost any sport in person and is glued to the screen during the World Cup. 

At home, Elizabeth is supervised by Cash, her cat, who is “a complete diva.”  He presumably has very little interest in criminal justice, family law, or anyone’s next step unless it involves catnip.