It's hard to believe it's been over ten years since Bill Davis, Karen Fisher and I left the "big firm" to open up our own shop. While leaving the security of the big firm was certainly scary, after ten years, I can honestly say that it was the best move we ever could've made. We've been able to build upon our professional and personal reputations with our clients and the legal community, and steer the firm in the direction Bill and I had hoped we would be able to achieve; we are now truly problem solving peacemakers, rather than lawyers forced to play the game in the antiquated "fight without purpose" way. We come up with solutions to resolve disputes as opposed to simply pushing papers around in the context of discovery and litigation without purpose; we employ mindfulness to help direct our clients toward cost-effective solutions and/or litigation directed at firm and achievable results rather than litigation focused on prevailing without purpose; said litigation leading inevitably to the judge insisting upon a meaningful settlement dialog only after the parties have spent too much money and felt too much personal pain.
We've been able to expand our mediation practice, have remained active in our community endeavors and have been able to live "The Lawyers Pledge" in real ways for real people. We have become the law firm that Bill and I had hoped we could become; a law firm focused on compassionate service to others and real results for real people; we practice a vocation rather than simply show up for a job; we respond to a calling rather than pursue a career.
While Bill is no longer with us; he passed away last year, we have mentored our new employees in a way that would have made Bill proud; we have passed on his legacy to Ms. Eisenhuth, Ms. Simpkins and the other professionals we work with. After ten years, we have become what we had hoped we would become; a law firm focused on service rather than compensation. We look forward to serving our clients and legal community for decades to come.
