April Prince
On the
FAST TRACK
Entrepreneurs
under40
Attorney April Prince:
Center Lawyer ventures
out on her own
AT A GLANCE
WHAT:
Law Office of
April Prince, PLLC
WHO:
Locally owned and
operated by
April Gregston Prince
WHERE:
103 W. Austin St.
Center, TX 75935
WHEN:
Monday & Tuesday
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
PHONE:
(936) 598-3100
FACEBOOK:
@Law Office of April
Prince, PLLC
Shelby County resident
April Prince has
successfully opened
her brand new law firm here in
Center, Law Office of April Prince.
“I started this journey as a
file clerk in high school, working
for Lynda K. Russell,” said April.
“In college I worked as a legal
assistant for a lawyer over in
Nacogdoches. And I decided that
maybe being a lawyer wasn’t such
a bad thing,” she says.
“I prayed on it a lot,” says
April. “Because you know, to
leave your job security, you’re
risking all your current stability.
It’s a huge move. I was worried
about how it would affect me and
my family - and my employer and
his family.”
With 12 years of practice
behind her, April officially
ventured out on her own on
June 1.
“I started this journey as a
file clerk in high school, working
STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHANNON JAMES
for Lynda K. Russell,” says April.
“In college I worked as a legal
assistant for a lawyer over in
Nacogdoches. And I decided that
maybe being a lawyer wasn’t such
a bad thing,” she says.
April graduated Stephen F.
Austin State University in August
of 2004. The following day, she
moved to Lubbock to begin law
school at Texas Tech University.
“I graduated on a Saturday,
moved to Lubbock on Sunday and
started law school that following
Monday,” says April. “Which
was really really fast. I just knew I
wanted to get it done.”
After working at law firm
based in Tyler and Dallas, April
says she had had enough and was
ready to come back home.
“It was a lot of driving, and
I started to miss my family,”
says April. “My parents and
their parents are from here, my
siblings. My whole family. It was
just time to come home.”
• ESTATE PLANNING
• ELDER LAW ISSUES
• PROBATE MATTERS
• GUARDIANSHIPS
• REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS
• CREDITOR COLLECTIONS
• CORPORATE FORMATION
• FAMILY LAW MATTERS
• GENERAL COUNSEL BUSINESS SERVICES
• CONTRACT DRAFTING AND REVIEW
Serving the community is like
serving people she knows.
“I’m just so thankful,” April
says. “My clients are my friends
and family. I either went to school
with them or know their family.
It’s nothing like being in a law
firm in Dallas. These are my
people.”
She appreciates the support
and finds it rewarding to be back
home.
“This community raised me,”
she says. “And it’s so rewarding to
be able to give back.”
April says her first week of
being open with her own law
office was emotional from the
mass amount of support from the
community.
“People were sending flowers
and coming by to congratulate
and say hi,” says April. “It’s great.
Because in the bigger firms, it’s
all about how much money you
generate and how many hours
you work.”
Quality of life is important to
her.
“Here, I can have some
quality of life, be with my family
and give back to my community,”
she says. “I found that balance
here, and I can’t be happier.”
The firm provides a variety
of legal services, including estate
and Medicaid planning, family
law, guardianships, collections,
real estate, small business
formation and more.
“I am thankful and happy
to be here and ready to help my
community,” April says.
36 Business MATTERS | 2020 Fall Edition