Still Happy About What You Do? By Charles Hollenbeck 05/15/09
Veteran trial lawyer Thomas Campion put together an impressive panel on a topic that creeps into many lawyers thoughts -- Am I still staisfied with being a lawyer? With the state of the economy this questions is now more than just a subject of coctail chatter. Superior Court Judge Lorraine Parker recounted a conversation with a friend who is struggling because of the downturn in the real estate market. He told her he now practiced "door law". She asked, "what is that", thinking she had missed the evolution of a new specialty. He replied, "it means I take any case that comes through the door." A friend of mine told me the same thing, and how concerned they are about having to take on questionable cases and less than desirable clients. But, the bills have to be paid. As Judge Parker and others on the panel suggested, the keys to survival and fulfillment lie in flexibility, an openess to reinvent one's practice, and perseverance in the face of adversity. The message they imparted is that the profession still offers rewards and satisfaction, and different paths to follow.. Assemblyman James Webber recounted how he left a major NJ firm following his election and had to craft a practice from the ground up. He urges lawyer to seek public sector and community involvement. Wanda Aiken appearred via video. A practitioner in Newark, Wanda this week is at the International Criminal Court in the Hague representing victims of the Darfur tragedy. The panel's message is that, even in the face if individual dislocation and stress, the profession remains vibrant and open to those willing to pursue their dreams.
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