DON'T FORGET THAT I'M THE LAWYER

It's an important fact which often goes overlooked in my office. I believe this is the case with many other small law offices, but I would greatly appreciate your feedback.

As a lawyer, you are entrusted with lots of responsibilities. You are given a certain amount of power over peoples' lives. This includes your staff (all paralegals, legal secretaries, secretaries, receptionists, interns, office staff, bookkeepers, and sometimes even other attorneys), your clients (the good, the bad, and the ugly), and even occasionally your family and friends. All sort of people will come to you with questions, demanding your legal expertise, immediately.

You get the friend that calls out of the blue with quick chit-chat only to rope you in to a 40-minute free legal consultation about a DWI or a car accident that they caused. You also get the phone call from your favorite sibling or cousin, aunt or uncle about that extra money that they need just to get by, the loan that they expect you to be able to provide them. This week alone I already heard twice from my landscaper, and one time from a friend who I haven't seen in years, all scamming for free advice.

The truth is that most of the time the people involved in the DWI know criminal law much better than I do because they are more frequently involved with it because of their activities. As for loans, maybe you don't know how much it actually costs to go to law school. Repaying the four years of college plus the three years of law school. Oh yeah, don't forget the nut that we call a mortgage, homeowners, and all the other expenses that everyone else has, and more likely than not, I will be calling you for a loan.

So how is it that all the same people that come to me with their ever so important questions and concerns, seem to forget that I'm the lawyer when it suits them?!?

This past week, on no less than two separate occasions I heard legal staff giving legal advice to people. I believe that they were clients. More importantly I believe that the advice they gave was probably correct from what I overheard. (These were both telephone conversations). I also heard a family member telling someone else what "the law" is and then throwing in my name as though my lawyerdom had sanctified their opinion. Frankly, I am tired of being used and abused at the discretion of the individual.

I intend to put a stop to it, but how? I can't stop taking calls or questions. As I've told you before I don't get e-mail at work (not allowed), but I do get personal e-mails. Basically, I want to stop giving my life away for free and otherwise. I don't have enough time during the day to work and then work on my own practice if I have to spend so much of my spare time answering mundane questions from the ignorant masses. I want to yell at every one - "Don't forget that I'm the lawyer". Stop asking these stupid question, listen to what I tell you the first time, and don't do what you think you should, do as I say.

They do not care. But I will find the way to get them. Send me your suggestions. Please. Help me destroy the ignorant masses. They must die! (...and with a little pain, too!)