The people who knock on our door every day almost always need our help. They often don't have the resources to hire an attorney, and their lives have been changed by trauma. And they often are not sophisticated about the process of the law and litigation. The only way they can retain a competent lawyer is with a fee structure that enables the client to pay with a portion of the settlement that we secure for them. In many instances we represent the last, best hope for justice for our clients.

Rarely are cases straightforward. In some cases, the facts may not seem compelling - but then we stop and hear the ring of truth in what someone is saying. From there, we ask, what rules were broken, what standards were violated? We'll take cases that a lot of firms won't take - and research it a little further, a little harder. It goes back to this: we stopped to listen.

Juries are tougher than ever. Is the case they hear a matter of pain and suffering? Because if it's simply pain and suffering, they won't want to listen. When a jury hears about someone's bad back or bad neck - often they may not care. The jury wants to know, how did the event change the person? As an attorney that's what we must convey to the jury.

I found I was well suited to the law - it's a dynamic field, with elements that have always interested me: writing, research, debating, and of course advocacy. It's demanding of both right-brain and left-brain skills - the analytic and the organizational on one side and the creative and artistic on the other.

We handle scores of cases every year, yet through aggressive pre-trial work only a handful - three or four each year - will actually reach a verdict. The rest are settled before or during trial, in a way that is proper and in keeping with our client's interests. The greatest feeling for me is that every now and then, we really can make a difference.