In our first meeting, it's not unusual for my clients to be downright scared, even terrified, of the legal situation they face. One of the most important parts of the job for me is to help them understand their situation, and get a grasp of possible outcomes. I work very hard to calm my clients' fears.

Part of that is managing expectations, but it's also about getting them to talk. I ask a lot - a lot - of questions. So when you come see me, I want you to be comfortable talking. Sometimes just talking and expressing yourself can calm fears, and help people focus and gain some peace of mind. It also helps me prepare to effectively represent you.

Another thing I do is give my client a "small homework list" - it's really more questions, about the incident that led to charges of some kind. Writing down answers forces all of us to clarify and think through things - and that process helps every client become invested in his or her own legal defense. I can't defend anyone alone - I am always most effective with my client's involvement and participation.

Then of course there are scenarios to discuss - what can and may be the consequences of the charges. I make every effort to describe the scenarios from the first meeting - because often those scenarios aren't what people expect. In fact, there are often scenarios that shouldn't trigger lots of fear.

Of course there's another little assignment I often give my clients - pick up a biography or two of people who have inspired you in your life. People's life stories are important - because you know what? Even the most accomplished people have made mistakes in their life.

Yes, some people do come to me who just want to tell me a story - who are being dishonest not only with me, but themselves as well. Sometimes they just don't care. But the longer I defend people in court, the better I am at detecting BS and the like. It comes with the territory.

I really do enjoy what I do. I feel I can have a real impact on outcomes. I have honed excellent negotiation skills, which I use with prosecutors all the time these days.

And I think our firm is unique - we have a lot of young, talented lawyers eager to achieve results - personal-injury law, criminal defense law, all areas of trial law. And Andy is something of a throwback - there are not a lot of leaders like him today. His energy and sense of justice really define what our firm is about. I'm proud of what we do every day, working to make a difference in our clients' lives.