Liana Orta had a decision to make when she graduated from Florida International University – pursue an MBA or go to law school.

Liana Orta had a decision to make when she graduated from Florida International University – pursue an MBA or go to law school. On paper, it looked like an easy choice: she majored in Finance and International Business. She spent part of her junior year furthering these studies in Sorrento, Italy. She seemed destined to get the MBA and then jump on the first flight back to Europe. But the MBA never really had a chance – Liana needed a profession where she helped people, not corporations. She wen...

Liana Orta had a decision to make when she graduated from Florida International University – pursue an MBA or go to law school. On paper, it looked like an easy choice: she majored in Finance and International Business. She spent part of her junior year furthering these studies in Sorrento, Italy. She seemed destined to get the MBA and then jump on the first flight back to Europe. But the MBA never really had a chance – Liana needed a profession where she helped people, not corporations. She went to the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law instead. When Liana graduated from law school, she went to one of the few ‘fresh out of law school’ jobs that offered an immediate and impactful chance to help people – she became an Assistant Public Defender in Florida working with juveniles. Her experiences with court, children, families in crisis, interviewing, negotiating, and so much more are invaluable. She had more client contact in a week than most attorneys have in a month. In short, Liana acquired the temperament, empathy, knowledge, and negotiating skills that are as hard to come by as they are invaluable in family law. She was a perfect fit for the Triangle Smart Divorce team . . . except she was 500 miles away in Jacksonville, Florida. We seemed certain to never meet but, thankfully, insects intervened. Specifically, Euschistus servus, the brown stink bug. Liana’s husband, Kevin, came to NC State to pursue his PhD in Entomology, studying the brown stink bug and its effects on corn and soybean crops. Liana came to North Carolina determined to put her experience to use in a field she is passionate about: family law. As a child of divorce, Liana is dedicated to doing all that she can for her clients and their children to achieve the best possible outcome as quickly and painlessly as possible while avoiding the pitfalls and uncertainties of the courtroom. Liana was looking for a firm that reflected her values at precisely the same time Triangle Smart Divorce was searching for a new associate. The timing was perfect.