I do have a personal philosophy about the law. The purest practice of law is perhaps criminal law - defending those who face charges issued by the government. Our legal system is based on protecting and defending those rights. And in that sense, the next-most essential form of the law is representing the individual, the disenfranchised, the "little guy" -- against large and powerful interests.

From the very start, you might say I have practiced law with that philosophy in mind.

What we do is important for society, but it is most important for the person I represent. Every day I seek to make a difference in one person's life.

In a short time we've gone from having very little information in our lives to having too much. A generation ago individuals hardly knew what their rights were - now we are bombarded with messages from computers and televisions and movies, messages that, quite ironically, are stepping on our fundamental rights. It is a blur of misunderstanding. The power of big government and big private interests is still out there - with all the mixed messages, it is increasingly misunderstood.

In some respects I try to downplay expectations - then, in the course of a long and complex case, produce greater results. That is all a function of hard work and long hours.

We always talk about being realistic about what the damages are, what the outcome is likely to be. Juries tend to be extremely conservative in Virginia and in Fairfax County. The truth is, the outcome never quite adequately compensates a victim or restores life the way it was prior to an accident. Life is not going to be the way it was before the trauma. Would you trade your life after a life-changing accident for a million dollars? Most would not. That's one of the reasons the litigation process is stressful and emotional.

Every one of my clients knows this: I'll work hard for them. We will do the best we can for them. I love what I do - because I know I am making a difference in my clients' lives.