Did you watch the Super Bowl? If you did, you learned a valuable lesson about being a trial lawyer. In the opening seconds of the game, the Colts kicked off and the Bears ran the ball back for a touchdown. The game was off to a great start. With less than 15 seconds into the game, the score was Bears 7, Colts 0.
Things were looking great for the Bears, but as the game continued, they didn’t back it up. They started making mistakes, didn’t capitalize on opportunities, and let the game slip out of their hands. Towards the end of the game, it almost seemed like they didn’t care.
I know an attorney like that. When she started practicing, she was sharp as the razor’s edge. She wrote brilliant briefs, argued persuasively, and achieved some great results for her clients. She was off to a great start.
But as the years continued, she started making mistakes, her skills started to deteriorate, and she became a shadow of her former self. Towards the end, she didn’t even seem to care. Ultimately, the bar intervened and stripped away her license to practice.
Unfortunately, you probably know an attorney like her, too. By nature of our profession, trial lawyers tend to be loners. The attorney you know may not have much of a support group anywhere else, so when you see a fellow attorney having personal problems with alcohol, depression, or finances, please don’t ignore it. Your bar association probably has assistance programs that can help, and the focus of these programs is to help, not to discipline. Let them know that help is available, and you’ll definitely be one of the best attorneys in your courthouse.
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