My Philosophy
Growing up as a young boy in rural Newfane, New York, I always knew that I wanted to help other people and make difference. The people guided me in my decision to become a lawyer and what type of lawyer I wanted to be. I strive to meet their examples every day.
Atticus Finch
When I was 12 years old, an English teacher gave me a book to read called, "To Kill A Mockingbird." For those of you that don't know the book, it's about a lawyer named Atticus Finch who practices law in a small Mississippi town in the 1930's. Atticus is a man of absolute integrity and honesty. He is asked by a judge to represent a black man, Tom Johnson, who has been wrongfully accused of raping a white woman. Most of the town's people hate Atticus for doing this - especially the white woman's father who spits in Atticus' face. Atticus two young children can't understand why he - or any person for that matter - would do such a difficult thing. But Atticus does so because he is person of dignity and finds dignity in everyone he knows, meets and represents as a lawyer. He represents Tom Johnson because it's the right thing to do.
I wanted to be like Atticus Finch. In my own journey to become a lawyer and then representing thousands of people for the past twenty years, I have tried my best to act with integrity and honesty - to do the right thing. I think this intention goes to the very heart of what our judicial system should be all about - a sense of fairness. Most folks that I have represented don't want something for nothing. They just want a fair shake.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln is a hero for lots of people as he is for me. He is famous for so many personal qualities: his great speech writing, heroism and his sense of humor. But for me, he was a person of determination. He faced a lot of adversity in his life and kept going to achieve his goals and live out his values. There can be lots of roadblocks in the legal process and adversity. Lincoln reminds me of the importance how important it is to keep going, to be a person of determination.
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa has been a big shaper of my ideas and faith not only as a Catholic, but also my beliefs about what it means to be of service to people. In my mind, that's what being a lawyer is all about - service. It's about what we as lawyers give to our client's and how we give it. We just don't do it for the money or because it is our job. We do it because it's a form of service to our fellow human beings. Mother Teresa is a person of service. She had a "business card" of sorts that she carried around. I carry a copy of it in my wallet. It reminds me of what's important in my life. It reads as follows:
The fruit of Silence is Prayer;
The fruit of Prayer is Faith;
The fruit of Faith is Love;
The fruit of Love is Service;
The fruit of Service is Peace.