Rebekah Lester is that rarest of family law attorneys. She knew, at about the exact same time that she decided to go to law school, that she wanted to be a family law attorney. This type of single-minded law education focus is exceedingly rare. Rare but not defining – usually.

She followed through on that plan, but it wasn’t a straight line. She graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and got married – to her husband Joseph and the US Navy. That meant leaving North Carolina and heading to Portsmouth, Virginia, for a few years. The time in Portsmouth allowed her to finely hone her application to the University of North Carolina School of Law – her top school choice, making her a proud double Tarheel.

At UNC Law, Rebekah’s work at the Domestic and Sexual Violence Clinic earned her the Certificate of Merit for Trauma-Informed Lawyering. Her dedication to understanding and addressing the trauma associated with family law cases and her team-based approach to working with clients are cornerstones of her practice. Rebekah’s observations of divorce and child custody scenarios have equipped her with the empathy and expertise necessary to navigate complex family dynamics.

Through the 19th Century in the United States, most lawyers didn’t go to law school; they ‘read law’ in law firms and learned by doing. Rebekah did both…during COVID.

In law school, she became a legal clerk at a family law firm early on and remained there until graduation.  While taking a full class load, Rebekah was also working drafting documents and conducting research while supporting attorneys as they prepared for trials, hearings, depositions, and negotiations.

After graduation, Rebekah stayed with that same firm and began practicing as an attorney representing clients in all areas of family law. Though she is passionate about all her cases and clients, Rebekah remains invigorated by working with families with complex dynamics and helping them find practical and meaningful solutions forward – in and out of the courtroom.

Here is what Rebekah learned from her double education in family law and time in practice. “Family law is exactly what I was looking for, a chance to really be in someone’s life and make an immediate impact. Family law means working with clients in the present tense – unlike other areas of the law, the issue is still happening; it’s not in the past tense. Ongoing issues, every day, and we have the opportunity to help and change the course of our client’s lives.”

A unique insight from a unique attorney.

In her free time, Rebekah is a voracious reader of, well, everything. That is when her attention is not diverted by her ten nephews and nieces . . . although she can always find time for you if you happen to show up with a strategy board game.