It might seem strange to hear that I love the law. I confess it’s true – I do.

Why?

I love that our law provides a way for folks to solve problems without violence. Imagine the alternative.

I love that each of my cases affects me personally. Remember Atticus Finch? While trying to explain to his daughter, Scout, why he is representing Tom Robinson, Atticus says this:

“If you shouldn’t be defendin’ him, then why are you doin’ it?” [Scout is doing the asking]

“For a number of reasons,” said Atticus. “The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again. […] Scout, simply by the nature of the work, every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one’s mine, I guess.”

(To Kill A Mockingbird, 9.16-21)

Well, I’m sure I’m not half that attorney Atticus Finch was (even if he is fictional), but I feel that simply by the nature of my work, every case I have affects me personally. And that is a goal of mine. If I represent your child, I want to be changed by that. I want to grow, become a stronger person, and become a better man.

Another reason I love the law is that it allows me to speak truth to power. In most of my cases there is either an insurance company or a large corporation on the other side. They are POWERFUL, far more powerful than you or I are even after we have joined forces. But we have truth. And justice. And the law, which is our tool and weapon, our shield and our sword. I love that. Never underestimate the ability of a lawyer who believes in his client’s cause!

And a final reason for loving the law – my own children. I look with hope to the future. I want them to inherit a world that makes sense (is run by the rule of law). I want them to be safe (lawsuits can make the world safer). I want them to be able to be proud of their Dad, what he does, how he helps, how his clients think of him. That’s so important to me.

And since I mentioned my children, please indulge me by permitting me to shamelessly post a photo, taken recently of my little people –

I know, I know, my little baby girl Emma Sophia is crying. It was the best shot we could get of all them together – and anyways, she is adorable no matter what she is doing.