Carrie Ulrich

I was born on Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan in September 1974. My dad met and married my mom in Thailand while serving in the Vietnam War. I grew up in a small farming community in Central Iowa. We jokingly call it Mayberry, but in some ways it is true. It's the kind of place everyone knows who you are by who your parents or grandparents are. My own daughters, who have only visited a handful of times over the years, are instantly recognized as mine by people they've never met. Most folks worked on family farms or at one of the many surrounding factories. It's the sort of place where you had to drive 30 minutes or more to get groceries, see a doctor, go out to eat, or see a movie.

Back then, my parents worked opposite shifts so that someone was always home when my brother and I came home from school. My dad built tires for over 30 years, and my mom worked various jobs before starting her own business after I graduated from high school. Some years, they struggled. Dad's union would strike, or the plant would shut down. He worked long overnight shifts, most times six nights a week. Taking time off for anything less than an emergency just did not happen. It was nearly impossible to do anything during "banker's hours" for most families because taking time off required a doctor's note. Even with a doctor's note, it was a risk to employment to take any sick time or time off outside of the 2 weeks of vacation earned every year. My parents sacrificed so that I could have the opportunity for a different life. I am the first in my family to go to college and earn an advanced degree. I've wanted to be a lawyer since I was a kid watching LA Law in the 80s. It took me until my mid-forties to accomplish it, but I never gave up on that dream.

I believe the law should be easily accessible for everyone. My parents and the community I was raised in, are the reason I've chosen to create a law practice with affordable pricing that has evening and weekend hours.