The Secret Sauce of the Legal Profession: Hard Work!

Have you heard the tale of the experienced lawyer who stayed up through the night doing legal research before a trial? In his desire to be thorough, this diligent legal professional ended up stumbling upon a case that provided just the support he needed for his argument. 

He was able to make a powerful case for his client the next day and when recounting the experience to his junior lawyer assistant, he was met with the comment that it was "lucky" that he stayed up and found the pivotal case. The experienced lawyer thought for a moment and then responded with a wink, saying that the harder he worked, the luckier he got. 

The lawyer's response is a bit tongue-in-cheek but we get the point - in the legal profession, success never boils down to luck. One of the most important factors in determining whether a lawyer succeeds or fails in the service of their client is how hard they are willing to work. And that is a direct result of how seriously they take their responsibility.

The diligent lawyer covers every base, chases down every theory, and overturns every stone, stopping at nothing in the service of their client. By contrast the lazy lawyer is satisfied cutting corners and making assumptions. They readily dismiss possibilities that require additional effort, instead trusting the fate of their client to luck or happenstance. 

It's obvious to us which of these lawyers we would want to work with, but time and again we see folks opting for the lazy lawyer, only to regret it in the end. In my over 30 years of practicing law, the few situations that I have observed in which a lawyer failed their client happened when the lawyer made assumptions and neglected to do even basic legwork. If you want to get technical about it, what this lawyer did amounts to committing legal malpractice. And that's no joking matter.

Driven by Dedication

At Calkins Law Firm we've never understood why a lawyer would opt to take the easy road, since it rarely ever sets their client up for success. Instead we're happy to put in extra time and help our clients reach their legal goals. We take great pride in advocating for their rights and find real satisfaction in a job well done. So pardon us if we pride ourselves on being as diligent and as hard-working as we need to be in order to best serve our clients and their interests. And if we sound like the sort of firm that you'd like to work with, please get in touch to discuss your legal needs - we are honored to assist.