In The News

In 1900, an 18-year-old woman named Nora Jennings left Galway, Ireland, alone.

She crossed the Atlantic, arrived through Ellis Island, and eventually built a life in Youngstown, Ohio. Like so many immigrants of her generation, she carried little with her except determination, faith, and the hope of a better future.

More than a century later, her great-granddaughter, Susan Petersen, made the journey in reverse. 

What began as a trip to Ireland became something more—a reflection on family, heritage, and the values that continue to shape both a life and a career.

For generations, Ireland remained an important part of Susan’s family story. Her mother lived with Nora and often spoke about the courage it took for a young woman to leave everything she knew behind and begin again in a new country. That story became part of the family’s identity, passed down through the years as a reminder of resilience, perseverance, and strength.

While in Dublin, Susan had the opportunity to spend time with some of Ireland’s most respected legal leaders through relationships developed in the International Society of Barristers. Conversations with David Barniville, President of Ireland’s High Court, and Imogen McGrath SC, one of Ireland’s leading advocates and the youngest person ever appointed Senior Counsel in Ireland, centered on the principles that unite lawyers across borders: integrity, service, and the pursuit of justice.

Despite differences in legal systems, the discussions revealed a common understanding of what it means to represent people facing life’s most difficult challenges.

The experience also offered a powerful reminder that the values carried by Nora Jennings across the Atlantic more than a century ago remain remarkably relevant today.

Courage.

Integrity.

A commitment to standing up for others.

These principles shaped one young immigrant’s journey from Galway to Ohio. They continue to guide the work of her family generations later.

At Petersen & Petersen, we often speak about advocacy, accountability, and service. Those values are not simply professional ideals. They are part of a legacy—one that stretches across generations and, in this case, across an ocean.

Some journeys span thousands of miles.

Some stories endure for generations.

And sometimes, after more than a century, a journey comes full circle. ☘️