Yes I am. If you are an attorney, I am quite sure you have had to deal with many jokes and snide comments about what you do. Undoubtedly, there are people in this country holding the belief that we are responsible for a majority of evils in the world. Well, not only do I believe we are not all bad, I hold the firm belief that we are good.
Despite the commonly held belief that we are a bunch of rich, greedy individuals preying upon the weak, some of the greatest people I know are attorneys. First, we know we are not all rich. In fact, some of us choose to work for very modest salaries to do great things for society. For example, I have some friends who devote their lives to helping abused, neglected, and dependent children. Further, many attorneys volunteer and work pro bono for a number of charitable causes.
Sometimes we suffer terrible stress for the people we work for. Does this occur because we are looking to make a lot of money on the eve of trial? Not likely. Often, we get paid regardless of whether we win or lose. I have seen attorneys in our office obviously obsessing in preparation on the eve of trial. I have also had a few knots in my own belly. We don’t feel this way out of pursuit of financial gains. And we do not feel this because we do not believe in our abilities. We feel these knots because we want to do the very best for the people we represent.
It is not my intention to defend who I am, and it is not my intention to defend my fellow attorneys. Certainly, I hope nobody reads this post as a whine in prose. Today, I just feel like telling the world that I like what I do, and I respect the people I work with and for. This is my second career, and I have the privilege of getting to know some of the kindest people on a daily basis. If you are not an attorney, please go hug one today. They may not belong on the bottom of the ocean. In fact, they may have just saved a child from abuse. If you are an attorney, please understand you are doing some great work. If you need someone to talk with to tell you are doing good work, give me call. I will happily tell you so.
Matt Miller-Novak, Esq.
Godbey Law
(513) 878-1773
(800) 403-9218
Source: The Gavel