| 11/1/2010

Why I Live Here

I got lucky! We moved to Naples in the mid-1980s while I was still a young lawyer and have never thought of leaving. After graduating from the College of William & Mary in Virginia with a business degree and Ohio Northern University Law School, we moved to Miami, where I worked for a large law firm while earning an LL.M. degree in estate planning at the University of Miami. It was a terrific experience, yet my wife and I knew the big city wasn’t ideal for us long term.

Initially, we considered returning to our native Ohio to establish my legal practice focusing on estates and trusts. Once we visited Naples, however, we knew we’d found home. So rather than build a practice in Ohio and later follow my clients to Naples, I decided to move to Naples and welcome retiring Buckeyes (and others, of course).

Nearly everyone here is from somewhere else, which makes it easier for newcomers to assimilate into the community. Naples is like the Midwest without the snow — it’s a friendly, welcoming area with a well-rounded offering of business, cultural, recreational and entertainment opportunities. And I can walk to work without snow boots.

Our kids are now teenagers and are thriving in the public education system in Collier County. As I travel around the country for legal conferences, it only takes one mention of Naples for acquaintances to say, “Lucky you!” reminding me just how good we have it.

— Attorney Laird A. Lile