A lot of lawyers will tell their clients, 'Don't worry, I'll handle everything.' But I never tell - nor will I ever tell - my clients something like that. I believe every client must be actively involved in the entire process. The client needs to be a participant. Being passive is simply a mistake. A lot of lawyers also don't like courtrooms. I'm not one of them. Courtrooms have never bothered me. I'm in court often, but that's not necessarily because I want to be. I handle a lot of custody cases - frequently custody is the last issue to be resolved. And often it can't be. So the judge has to make the call.

Clients definitely want their day in court. But as I tell them, the courtroom does not always get you justice. How is a judge, seeing you for the first time, supposed to make a completely informed decision about your matter? Judges are human; they make mistakes like the rest of us. More and more judges will ask attorneys, as we bring more unresolved cases, "Do you really want me to decide this?" It's a genuine concern on their part.

There are many new trends affecting what we do. The workforce has changed, for starters. Women are much more knowledgeable about what their rights are. People are more savvy and sophisticated consumers - even of legal services. And that makes us more selective as well. Clients ask themselves, 'What am I looking for in a lawyer?" Now, increasingly, attorneys ask, "What am I looking for in a client?" The longer I do this, the more selective I am.

Blank Rome is a wonderful place to work - it's been incredible to me. I suppose it's unusual that it's the only place I've worked - but that should tell you something. The bottom line is not always "the clock" - it's about focusing on doing your job well, and steadily. I don't prepare the night before a trial. It's a process - when you get six new clients in a week, that's what you have to do. While I will frequently work at home after my family is asleep, I try not to let my client's problems spill over - otherwise I'd have a much more stressful practice than it already is. I make sure I'm accessible to my clients. I give my clients my cell number - I always tell them on a Friday, feel free to call me this weekend or in the evening if it's important. A lot of divorce lawyers don't enjoy what they do. But the fact is, I am simply not one of them.