Reasonable Doubt

1. Don’t be afraid to take on a new challenge because you think you
won’t know what to do— because you will.
2. Never underestimate the importance of a good printer/copier/fax/scanner
3. No matter how busy or tiring it gets make time for the gym and the dog.

As I walked through the door of my new life — as a general solo, I felt not only an enormous amount of pride, excitement and of course fear, but I also felt a certain sense of inevitable grace—it is now as it was meant to be. Everything has fallen serenely into place— from the art on my office walls and the placement of my new handy dandy, marvelous all-in-one professional business machine to the just perfect place where my dog rests when she comes in to check on me.

Since my door opened in October 2009, my practice has undertaken cases in the areas of: name change, landlord/tenant, immigration, bankruptcy and contracts. And, I have an average of 4 new clients per month. In addition, I won my first immigration case— an amnesty petition. That was huge for me and of course my client was quite pleased as well. We got the decision right before the Solstice which made this holiday season the best my client and I have ever had.

So, I feel pretty confident about 2010. But my optimism is built not just on the fact that I continue to get referrals and I can convert to pdf like nobody’s business, but my potluck legal network is growing and the bonds with my colleagues are getting stronger. For every new case I have had, I have had someone to look to for guidance. Questions ranging from “how much do I charge for this,” to “what format do I use for that,” to “good grief, what do I do now!” — all have been answered with patience and with grace. And for that I am very grateful and will say a special thank you now to Tom and Debra who are only two of many that I have been fortunate to have as mentors and friends.

However, with all the commotion in the past few months, I have not been able to get to the gym as often as I had been, and it shows. My dog and I are not walking as long as we used to either, and she knows. Therefore, along with some new software, I will invest in those exercise walking shoes and the pup and I resolve to set out once again in our daily olfactory treasure hunt for urine and the other irresistible pleasures that makes my dog’s life, and therefore mine, so sweet.

Happy New Year to you all and thank you for coming back despite my absence. I look forward to hearing from you.