Trudy Milliken

Trudy's story with the firm began long before she had a law degree, or even knew exactly what kind of law Brian Smith practiced. In high school, she worked at Will Days Place, a local meat-and-three restaurant where Brian was a regular. A true creature of habit, he sat in the same spot and ordered the same meal nearly every day. Trudy would periodically remind him, "I'm going to law school one day, and I'll come work for you."

Years later, she did exactly that. While attending law school at night, Trudy reached out to Brian about a job. There wasn't an opening, but after six months of persistence, she finally wore him down. He created a place for her at the very bottom, earning around $8 an hour, and she began working her way up. Trudy graduated, passed the bar, and became a partner in 2010.

More than two decades later, it's still the people who bring her back to the office each day. She loves hearing clients' stories and working alongside a team she cares deeply about. Trudy brings steady leadership, a strong business mind, and the kind of consistency people can count on. Her staff knows she will always show up for them, put her head down, and stay until the work is done.

Outside the office, Trudy spends her time with family and friends, including her daughter, Talan, who now works alongside her at the firm, and her son, Tripp. Life on the family farm keeps her busy, but that suits her just fine. She genuinely loves mowing, cutting brush, and clearing trees, any job where she can step back afterward and see the progress she made. For Trudy, there's something deeply satisfying about leaving things better than she found them.