My fellow litigators, you may currently have a case or several cases that are really stressing you out. You may have an adversary that won’t stop writing nasty emails, a client who disagrees with your advice, or a Judge that rules against you on every issue. These challenges may lead to your mind creating the feeling of being trapped and not in control. It is common to let your mind run wild and make you believe that if this one thing does not happen in a case, that everything is over. You may think that if your mean adversary wins then you have failed. Or, you may think that if your client does not follow your advice, he or she will later blame you for losing the case. Or, if the Judge continues to rule against you, your law firm will think you are the cause.
As we discover when we transition from law school to practice, the practice of law in real life is nothing like it is on TV. Sometimes, your clients are going to have bad facts. Sometimes, your mean adversary is going to win. And sometimes, no matter how many hours and late nights you work on those motions, the Judge will rule against you. Other times, however, your clients will have great facts, your mean adversary will fall on his or her face and the Judge will see everything your way.
You cannot control your client, your adversary or the outcome of motions or trials. But, if you have done everything in your power to advocate for your client, it will be evident. The only thing you can do is take it one case at a time.
