Growing up I really didn't think about becoming a lawyer. All kids play cops & robbers. I always wanted to be a cop. I was a good one but as my mom used to say, "When you make plans, God laughs." I do think that all of my experiences - of serving in the Marines, joining NYPD and patrolling the streets for seven years, of teaching and coaching, of singing songs in front of thousands of folks - really has given me unique perspective, and made me much, much more effective today. All of those experiences really help me when I select a jury and again, especially, when it is time for me to tell my client's story.

I definitely have a "Right vs. Wrong" view of the world, so I'm very comfortable today fighting for the rights of my clients. You have to feel good about what you do, have a clear conscience about all of it.

You will never hear me refer to a case as a "good case." The fact is, in every case, someone has been damaged, sometimes permanently, often in ways you cannot even see. There is nothing "good" about that. Whenever I hand out my card I say, "I hope that you never need me."

So the first thing I will say is, quite simply, I will do the best I can for you. Whatever the outcome, I will make my greatest effort. Keep your expectations in check, and keep the lawsuit a small sliver of your life. My point: Don't let thoughts of your lawsuit take over your life. The process can take months, even years, and there is no guarantee of any outcome.

I am always sympathetic - but I can't save people from themselves. And I'm not in the business of absolving clients of their responsibility. In some cases it's not uncommon to concede some degree of comparative negligence, in cases where some of the responsibility for the event may lie with the plaintiff. But that never means the plaintiff has no legitimate claim. Every member of a jury understands that no one is perfect. It is my job to get the jury to see each incident from my client's point of view and to prevent them from "blaming the victim."

I am always a zealous representative for my clients. I will not let anyone railroad me. I go to trial on five or six cases a year - many others will be settled before trial precisely because the other side knows that I mean business. Each case requires time and resources, and my strategy is always to secure the best possible outcome for my clients. I do that by trying to stay one step ahead of the insurance companies and their attorneys.

I have some strong personal beliefs, all coming out of life's experience. For one thing, there ought to be a special jail for dads who abandon their kids. I saw too many kids with no example, no male role model, no guidance, who would not have ended up in jail or in a morgue wagon if they had a dad. We also need to make sure we properly educate our children. It is cheaper to make sure they have an education than it is to house them in jail cells when we have failed to do so.

I also think we need to abandon our partisan political beliefs and just start electing some "good human beings." My mother used to say, "Show me your friends, and I'll show you who you are."

I enjoy what I do today. And I feel I'm just getting started. I know I'm doing the right thing. And when you try to do the right thing, good things come to you. I can't fix anyone's body, but I can change their lives in other ways that help them reclaim part of what they may have lost.