People ask me all the time what is it that I miss most about practicing law. For me, the answer is easy. I miss the excitement of being a trial lawyer and giving Closing Arguments to juries. I always believed that was the emotional high point of any trial when lawyers on both sides had the opportunity to argue and persuade people of the rightness of their respective positions.
It isn’t that my life is special. Rather, it is that I was given the chance to learn how to survive difficult times and adversity and to do it with some hope and humor. I also finally learned about the mistakes I made that caused all that adversity, and hopefully to let people know how to avoid those same or similar mistakes. But as long as there are people, there will be imperfections and disappointments. There will be times when we don’t think we can go on. But we can. Where there is adversity, there are also opportunities and the chance to begin all over again. For me, it took, and takes, hope, faith, humor, friendship and a willingness not to ever give up.
“Have you ever had to start over in your life or career? Have you ever lost, or do you fear losing, your present job or your ability to practice your profession? Has the passion you once had for being a professional or person diminished or disappeared completely? Have you ever been a broken person or feared that you might be one day? Have you just lost some of the hope you once had?”
“If the answer to any of these questions is yes, I hope you will consider allowing me to speak to your group or association. If you are an attorney, I hope you will consider allowing me to speak directly to your law firm or attending one of my seminars on Ethics, Professionalism and Mental Health/Substance Abuse.”