This is what makes it worthwhile

[Terry in Crapchester]

Sorry if this is a little Vogel-ish, but I had to share an email (portions redacted) I received today. Not from a client, but from the father of a former client who I represented through the Assigned Counsel Program about 1 1/2 years ago:

Dear Mr. ____,

I just want to take a moment to thank you for helping our family come together as a told family unit. You were the attorney that represented our son in _______ Town Court and helped us get him into ______________ for his drug addiction.

I am happy to report that he is off the drugs and we have our son back! Only because you were willing to listen to everyone crying out for help. He is Clean and Sober (drug free) and is finishing Erie community college with all A's and B's. He is scheduling to attend Buffalo State college in the fall.

We hang out together and a variety of different things together. I never thought it would be this good. I certainly owe you and would like to have your current address so we could keep in touch.



With kind regards I remain;

___

I responded with . . .

___,

Thank you so much for your kind email.

As I recall, ___ was placed in _______ Drug Court, with the possibility of his guilty plea being vacated if he successfully completed. I trust that from your email he managed to do that, and I also trust that the _______ Drug Court lived up to its end of the bargain as well, so that ___ isn't hampered with a criminal conviction for the rest of his life.

If you wish to keep in touch with me, my address is as follows:

_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________

Best of luck to you and your family. I hope that you will keep me in mind if you have any further legal needs.

Terry

It's not about the money. Like I said, I represented this kid through the Assigned Counsel Program, so I didn't get paid nearly as much as I could charge someone who retained me. Rather, it's about doing your best for your client, and trying to leave him/her in a better position than you found him/her. That's not always possible, but every once in awhile the stars align properly, and you manage to pull it off.

Of course, that attitude is probably a big part of the reason why I'm not rich, and probably never will be. But if it causes just one person to re-examine his/her perspective on lawyers, then it's worth it.

[Tom In VA]

Terry, I assure you my disdain for you is limited only to political debate.

Otherwise you are, have been, and will continue to be a soulful, righteous brother of the highest order.

One thing though, while I'm humbled by your charity and compassion. Don't think for a minute that there aren't people within convervatism that put their time and money where their mouth is when they assert - private citizens are better equipped, more motivated, and much more competent at "charity" than government will ever be.

Of course all lawyers aren't bad. It is the lawyers that have rendered the code unreadable by the lay people - requiring more and more laywers - that are bad. :D


God Bless.