Spanish
Yesterday an elderly former client arrived in my office without an appointment. It had been at least five years since I saw him last. Since I last saw him I had changed firms, changed addresses, but was still practicing as an injury lawyer in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. I was surprised to see him, and while I couldn’t recall his name at first, I recognized his face immediately.
He told me that his children no longer lived with him, and that he living on his own in Alexandria. I recalled that he used to work as a driver, and asked him whether he had finally retired. He told me that he had, and I congratulated him.
He had a problem involving getting payment from Medicare, and had found me at my new offices. He said that after I represented him so many years ago, he always considered me to be his friend. I thanked him for that, and spent the time necessary to help him and point him in the right direction.
Many people do not realize that lawyers represent many clients at a time, each with their unique problems. I have always joked about this saying that this is the reason why my hair prematurely turned gray. But all joking aside, it is heavy burden to carr everyone else’s problems on your shoulders including your own. Many times over the past 25 years I have awakened in the middle of the night by some client’s problem I had been worried about, only to find myself jumping out of bed to write myself a note on how to handle the problem.
I will be the first to admit that being as lawyer is not always the most rewarding career. You have to revel in those moments when you have accomplished something, or have been able to help your client move forward with their life. Many people think it is all about the money, and truthfully it is not. While I might remember my big settlements, I have found much more satisfaction when my clients have thanked me for a job well done.
Yesterday was a difficult day at the office. I was consumed by telephone calls, appointments , and interruptions. So when my elderly client told me that “he always considered me his friend”, suddenly it all became worthwhile.
Related posts:
- Alexandria Workers Compensation Lawyers helping injured workers
- $42,000 Virginia Auto Accident Settlement- Rear End Accident
- How to go about hiring a lawyer for an injury case.
- Dealing with Insurance Companies
- $79,000 Fairfax Motorcycle Accident Settlement
Tags: lawyers