What’s in a Name?
Everything we have worked on in setting up our new firm for success has been intentional, and the name that we have chosen is no exception to that rule. “Atlas Law” is a trade name, which under North Carolina law, is a “doing business as” or “assumed name” moniker for our actual legal name, which is Orenstein Law PLLC.
Truthfully though, there is quite a bit of intention and careful thought that has been put into discarding the old norm of using the attorney’s name in the brand of the firm.
Use of a Trade Name
I am terribly proud, over the last nine years, of the relationships that I have built with the staff that has worked with me as “paralegals” or “legal assistants” in our firm. If I have learned anything, I know that my success as an attorney is really a reflection of my ability to hire incredible people to help me keep things running smoothly. Any success that I have had in my practice has been reliant upon, and is attributable to, the amazing people that work with me as colleagues.
As we begin a new chapter with Atlas Law, one of the biggest reasons we have decided to make the jump out with our new venture is to help uplift and bring forward the incredible efforts of the people that work on our team. We have a unique and magnetic culture with the core of people joining me, and I want my clients and agents to really get the full, unadulterated experience of working with this amazing group.
So, it makes no sense to put “Orenstein” on the sign of the firm. This firm is not about Joe Orenstein. It is about an amazing group of people that are working with Joe Orenstein. Honestly, I would put the names of every one of my people on the marquee, if the State Bar allowed me to—they deserve the credit and blame as much as I do.
Moreover, from a business standpoint, we have greater ambitions than just being a law firm for Joe Orenstein. We plan on hiring other attorneys to help grow our practice and having a trade name at the forefront makes our firm a more powerful brand not tied to the “Orenstein” name. Our team has the intention of being the best real estate law firm in the state, and it is my personal hope that Atlas Law outlives me and generations behind me that uphold the same tradition of excellence.
Inspiration for “Atlas”
The specific name “Atlas” was inspired by my favorite novel, Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. While there are many people who will reject or despise some of the philosophies and moralities explored in the book, Ayn Rand’s objectivist approach is the root of how I like to approach the practice of law and the practice of business. Many of the threads of the book are tied into my beliefs about how to treat others and how to treat the world around me, and that is the original impetus for the name itself.
“What greater wealth is there than to own your life and to spend it on growing? Every living thing must grow. It can’t stand still. It must grow or perish.”
If there is one thing that characterizes our approach to the practice of law and the practice of business at Atlas Law, we are steadfastly committed to the idea of growth. Growth through iteration; growth through error; growth through success. That is something we have committed to each other, and that commitment is something we know we share with the agents and clients who see us on a regular basis.
The Titan Atlas
While not the original inspiration for our name, “Atlas” of course is a reference to the great titan of Greek mythology. In the myth, Atlas was condemned by Zeus to carry the heavens upon his shoulders. The name “Atlas” is thought to have been derived from another similar-sounding Greek word with the meaning “very enduring.”
We know that most people walking in the door have the weight of the world on their shoulders, and our goal is to make sure that we can shoulder that weight for them while they are under our care. Atlas placed the sky on his shoulders, and our hope is that our clients and agents feel like the weight of their concerns are in capable, competent, and enduring hands while they are under our care.
A New Brand
More than anything, our team hopes that you find the same spark of invigoration and ambition that we feel from our new name and new brand. While we are the same group of core people, in the same amazing location you know, and using many of the same processes you praise; our hope is that Atlas Law can help you grow too.
If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading through our little vignette and, as always, we love you all and look forward to talking with you all soon!!!
- Joe
