#HighVoltageWoman Spotlight: Jennifer Dickquist
BY LAURA HARPER/WWR Staff Writer
Having attended hundreds of concerts in her life while also balancing a professional career as a lawyer with her own law firm, Jennifer Dickquist has set herself apart as a woman deserving of recognition.
Dickquist’s love of music started at a very young age, something that she attributes to her parents; as a child, she recalls Bob Marley always being played and singing along to “Shakedown Street” in the car with her mom.
“I cannot thank them enough for giving me the love of music and giving me all the memories I have,” Dickquist said.
With her love of music also comes a love for concerts, with Wyclef Jean being her first live show when she was eleven. While her memories of that particular show are rather vague, she does clearly remember seeing the Allman Brothers Band with her dad a few years later. She even remembers the yellow Eat A Peach shirt her dad bought for her at that show.
“The memories are so special because it was time I spent with my dad,” Dickquist said.
Looking back, Dickquist says some standout concerts for her were The Interrupters, Mac Miller in Pittsburgh, Miley Cyrus, Kendrick Lamar, and Tom Petty. She views music as her emotional outlet, saying that music has always influenced her personal style and how she relates to others.
“There is music for every emotion and every feeling,” Dickquist said. “Music attaches itself to memories and I think it can help people work through the toughest times.”
Dickquist herself also finds personal value in helping others, which is why she decided to pursue a career in the legal field, attending LeMoyne College for her undergraduate education and graduating from Duquesne Law School in 2013. Eventually, she decided to take a chance and open her own law firm.
“The most rewarding thing about what I do is relieving the stress of other people,” Dickquist said. “The best thing I can do for someone is to guide them through and help alleviate their biggest fears and stressors.”
Dickquist’s law firm, JD Law, is dedicated to providing equal service to everyone without requiring that they spend their life savings for legal help. Her business follows the tagline of “Alternative Style, Traditional Caring,” which in part references Dickquist’s personal style: She has over 30 tattoos and is dedicated to eliminating the stigma surrounding tattoos, dyed hair, and piercings in professional settings.
“I always say that I am not for everyone,” Dickquist said. “I definitely get odd looks at court but it doesn’t bother me. Take me as I am.”
Some challenges she has faced as a woman in the law industry mostly revolve around being addressed as “sweetie,” “pumpkin,” or “hunnie,” all of which are words she does not care to hear. Dickquist says she has also been asked if she is even old enough to have a law license. However, she takes pride in her leap to open her own law firm, regardless of any challenges she has faced along the way.
“My biggest accomplishment is being brave enough to open my own business,” Dickquist said. “To trust myself, my knowledge, and my abilities to jump all in. I am always setting new goals for myself and the business.”
JD Law will be a supporting sponsor of the 2021 Women Who Rock Benefit Concert as another woman-owned business helping us to Rock the Future of Women’s Health.