''The best job I ever had to accumulate information was waitressing at a deli in Sun City while I went to school. Imagine a crew of smart retired people coming in for coffee after an early-morning 40-mile bike trip, glancing at the morning paper and ready to hold forth on the world. Such insights!'' "I worked for several months scanning incoming notices...and eventually an entry-level job as a receptionist-accounting clerk in a law firm opened up at John Flynn's law firm." Unlike typical suit-and-tie firms, Flynn's firm embraced casual. "Years later, I laughed at the idea of 'causal Fridays,'" she says, "because every day was casual Friday at that office. In fact, that's how we knew John had a court appearance. If he showed up in a suit, he was going to court. Otherwise it was blue jeans and cowboy boots." Next, Russell worked as a jury "consultant," going to trials and watching their juries. And after having worked with both defense and plaintiff's attorneys, Russell did what every legal expert does: she became a dispatcher for a local police department. After all, "not only could [she] tell officers where to go but [also] how fast they could drive." However, in 1999 she tired of "seeing so-so attorneys with big PR budgets quoted in the paper instead of ones with true expertise" and founded www.1st-pick.com (whose tagline is "We don't have a second choice") along with www.establishedattorneys.com. Both sites are resources for reporters looking to find the best. "Your good luck continues," says 1st-pick's website. "You've reached the fastest, most potent source for locating established, qualified attorneys, physicians, and real estate professionals." "If you have a developing situation, or want to prevent one from developing, you've come to the right place. Corporations and individuals alike know 1st-pick members represent the best of the best, and true to our company name, we have no second choices," the site adds. According to a testimonial from Dominick Dunne, "Bonnie Russell is a very interesting woman. She has endless curiosity about the ways of our culture and strong opinions that she has no fear of expressing. She's tough, smart, and fair, all qualities that I admire." And Stephen Kolodny, of Kolodny & Anteau, praises Russell, saying, "Bonnie Russell, a woman with focus, direction, attention, and devotion to task and mission — a person who applies passion and a good sense to achieving her goals and yours. Whether it is for a public relations task or a cause, you can count on her using her considerable talents and deep connections with the press and media people to accomplish her task." With such accolades, it's no surprise that once the sites launched, the phones began to ring. Maybe it was because she was tired of witnessing bad PR or maybe not, but when one reporter called, inquired about her site, and praised her for having good PR, Russell flinched. "I do not," she said. "I'm just trying to answer the question." He sighed and said, "That's good PR." "So," she continues, "I expanded. Some attorneys just want clients, and some want additional exposure. I can do either. But the goal was always 'Build the way to find the best in the shortest amount of time.'" Q. What do you do for fun? A. I race sailboats. Last week, one of the boats I crew on (I'm the mainsail trimmer), came in seventh out of a field of 146. It was the first race of the Hot Rum series, and we even beat Stars and Stripes. My head can barely fit through the door. Q. What CD is in your CD player right now? (Or what music is on your iPod?) A. Tom Petty, Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith, and all things Springsteen. Q. What is the last magazine you read? A. I never stop reading. But since Dominick Dunne is a friend, Vanity Fair, and of course Judicature. I'm also reading the book Blackwater, which, although not pretty, I think should be required reading for a Congress that's asleep at the wheel. Q. What is your favorite TV show? A. Book TV. I have a thing for Brian Lamb. After that, it's a toss-up between The Big Bang and Survivor/Big Brother — the mind games, the cunning...the stupidity! Q. Who is your role model? A. Lee Russell, my father. Dad's 84 for dealing with life's adversities. Just quit flying and went into a complete funk for two weeks...especially since he also had to give up golf, his lifelong passion, because, as he said, "Every time I took a swing I fell down." Was in a funk for two solid weeks, and then he just decided to move on. Dad now kayaks to replace flying and shoots pool to replace golf. (I kid him the pool is simply a return to his misspent youth.) Dad was shot down over Italy in World War II and was a POW for nine months before escaping. (He's also very observant and very smart.) He was also awarded three Distinguished Flying Crosses — two in World War II, nothing in Korea, and Dad got his third DFC in Vietnam. This is about the highest medal in the Air Force you can get…and they're usually given to the surviving family members because to qualify one has to exhibit superior flying skills under extremely adverse conditions (like people trying to shoot you out of the sky) while going to assist someone else (forgetting your own personal safety). Not surprisingly, this often gets one killed. But my father has three. So I've got to tell you he's a hero to a number of people and is awesome in every sense of the word. In dealing with POW camp, he said what pulled him through was (1) physical exercise, (2) a positive mental attitude, and (3) meditation. When I was a kid, I used to think he was kidding when he'd say after breakfast, "Well, now I'm going to go think." Turns out he wasn't kidding. Dad has such a keen, observant eye — especially about nature, but he showed me I can learn an awful lot by just paying attention. Russell's online expertise, however, expands beyond her own sites. Along with working for Lawgic.com and an unmentioned legal advertiser, Russell counts among her most notable career accomplishments helping to implement a data-driven system that collects and verifies information on judges called USAJudges.com. "I was invited to speak about it to a legal conference, and attorneys have responded well. It debuted last year. Reporters like that some research is done for them. It's been interesting," she says. "One woman made a positive report on a judge who had sentenced her daughter to life in prison. However, a number of reports were made on one judge who was not returned to the bench." Certain experiences stand firm in Russell's mind, especially when it comes to the lessons that have taught her the most. "Pro bono work ignites the imagination," she admits with surprise. "Anyone not doing pro bono work winds up hurting themselves, as they narrow their own creativity. But those who dig in are able to see problems firsthand, and because they don't live in the problem, the solution comes more creatively and more easily than to those just sitting behind a desk." But she doesn't credit her success to experiences alone. Numerous people throughout her life have helped shape her performance and career, including her former boss, John Flynn ("When you start at the top, he's a tough act to follow"); Sandy Burnette from Tallahassee, FL ("An insurance defense and arson specialist who drafted Florida's arson laws"); Jerry Sterns ("The first aviation attorney to have his one-time exposure second-hand smoke win affirmed at the U.S. Supreme Court"); Carolyn Reilly (the executive director of San Diego's Elder Law and Advocates), and Joe Fried. "On the plaintiff's side, all continue intelligently and compassionately fight for basic rights no matter how daunting the opposition or number of attorneys opposed. They outwork everyone. That and meeting them — I swear their integrity shines through their faces." And the same can be said about those working on the defense side. Without a degree but with plenty of perseverance, passion, and curiosity, Russell has gone from working an entry-level job to owning her own business. It's no wonder she advises young individuals to "do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life." "But also," she continues, "do something to give back to the community in a way that's completely outside yourself. If you're in a huge city, figure out what you like to do outdoors, and then donate part of your weekend doing it. Life is about balance. People in the legal field typically aren't about balance. If you're into real estate, pick one block in your corner of the world and do what you can to fix or make better something on that block. If you like water sports, call Surfriders or Riverkeepers and ask what they physically need. If you're really city-bound and, say, working with gene therapy, try the flip side...anything to take you out of yourself but in a related field."

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