Sarah is the local attorneys for power of attorney as large as her heart. She’s certainly not your typical attorney who hides under mountains of documents. Sarah is out on the frontlines, defending those who find themselves without a voice. Let’s take the Johnson family for instance. They were caught in an intricate legal web that was so difficult to unravel, it appeared as if Houdini could not escape. Sarah? She didn’t hesitate.
She once told me, over coffee, that her printer had failed just before the deadline and she was forced to argue with sticky notes. She laughed. “I was sweating bullets, but we won!” “The judge said my notes had more organization than most printed documents.” These little victories fuel her.
Tom’s is a more community-oriented law firm. He is a specialist in housing and spends most of his time teaching tenants their rights. He loves to tell the story of Mrs. Garcia. A woman in her 80s who was being evicted because of some unethical landlord practices. Tom did not just help Mrs. Garcia keep her home. Instead, he rallied everyone in the neighborhood to fight unfair practices.
Tom, who is wearing his Hawaiian shirt in casual Fridays while grinning, explains that “people believe lawyers are all about suits & ties. Sometimes it’s as simple as showing up with some donuts & having a real conversation.” He believes that justice can be served with empathy.
Nina, who is passionate about environmental law, lives at another corner. She organizes litter-picking drives that also double as legal consultations. The locals come to the clinics and receive free advice. Nina once stayed at a site of protest for an entire week to support activists that were being arrested.
Her philosophy is: She says, “The planet does not have time to wait around for us,” as she sips herbal tea in the middle of our conversation at her eco friendly office space with recycled furniture and plants.
Sam is one of those defense attorneys who will always help an underdog overcome any challenge. Jenga block challenges are a good example. If you take out the wrong part too early without thinking, they could fall at any time. A client remembers his late arrival one rainy day after missing a train, because he was helping a different client prepare vital documents for their early morning case.
These stories reminds why local lawyers play a vital role in society. They hold the threads together, holding them tight so they don’t unravel unexpectedly or surprisingly when you least expect it.