As I look back on almost 30 years of practice, I have loved being a lawyer. I have experience and success in a variety of fields, which has made me more well-rounded compared to those who emphasize only 1 or 2 areas of law.
I have obtained several rewarding and high settlements for clients in employment law, divorces, personal injury, civil rights and police misconduct cases. I obtained the highest jury verdict in Spokane County ($3 million) against a Sheriff's office for misconduct against my clients. I am a well-rounded trial attorney who has litigated a wide range of cases, including taking cases through mediation, arbitration, and if needed, trial and appeals courts. I have done thousands of both bench and jury trials.
In law school, they told us in orientation that a high percentage of lawyers wish they did not go to law school and become a lawyer, so I am in the minority - I would not change a thing. The law is for me. I am a "lifer", which means I will practice law until they drag me away.
I decided to become a lawyer after the Major League Baseball peoples did not draft me in the first few rounds when I was 18. I pitched several "1 hitters" (yes, 1 hitters, not "no hitters") in high school and for American Legion at ages 16-18, however, I lacked a 4th pitch (slider, curve, and knuckle-curve was all I had). Anyway, I also loved playing basketball and football, but when old age set in (age 24+), I began playing softball and have really enjoyed that over the years, until really old age set in (age 40+), and now I don't play as much. Trying to pick up golf cuz I see a lot of older people out there swinging the clubs, but the last few years I have focused on Tennis. I like martial arts, sports on t.v., great movies, great food, and being happy. I had not traveled around the world much, until I met my wife, Hong, who has taken me to China many times now (wow, it is really cool). My focus outside of work is my daughter, JoJo and her life! Anyway, I still spend a lot of time doing work because I am obsessed with deadlines, client problems and being the best lawyer I possibly can.