Robert M. Hill

Robert Hill

Hard to respond to a vague and anonymous critique, but the reviewer appears to be frustrated and impatient with the process, which is not uncommon. The process is not designed to be enjoyable, and some have less of a stomach for it than others. There are also some times when the lawyer-client relationship just doesnt match up well for reasons of personality or style, which may be the case here. A minor technicality, but I am not in a band, although I am a musician and songwriter. This is the first time in 25 years of practice that a client has ever reported being bothered by that. The skills that are sharpened in performing and song writing - story telling, memory, focus - come in very handy when presenting a family law case to a judge - the details can be important, but it's usually the story that carries the day. My music is no secret, is featured on the website of the firm (in which all four attorneys are musicians, three of us recording artists with some acclaim and/or awards) We actually feel pretty good about that and have found that these creative skills enhance our practice rather than detract from it. Although I do sometimes travel in connection with my music, this review comes at a time when it has been a year since I have been away from the office for music for longer than an extended weekend. And with few exceptions, I make myself available to clients via phone and email during my trips, whether they are music related or not. I rarely disconnect. There is no case in which I "allow opposing counsel to lead the case to their advantage." Not really sure what that means, but certainly there are times when you are on defense in litigation and times when you are on offense. These are sometimes things out of the lawyer's control and sometimes things that are decided in consultation with the client, who is ultimately the decision maker. Which makes the "negotiation" criticism kind of a head scratcher, since no offer is ever made or accepted without the client's endorsement and approval. Negotiation and compromise and efforts to resolve cases by agreement are almost always in the best interest of the client, since litigation is uncertain and expensive. In most cases, you'd rather have your lawyer be a golden lab than a pit bull, since family law cases that resolve favorably for the client usually resolve by agreement. I dp have some clients who would say I am a pit bull because there are circumstances in which that is the best or only option, sometimes resulting from an unwillingness of the other side to negotiate a reasonable settlement. In any event, a negotiation is rarely "detrimental", unless one sees detriment in a compromise resulting from both parties making concessions in exchange for concessions from the other party, thereby resolving the case with less expense and stress and acrimony. Interestingly, the anonymous reviewer never brought these concerns to me, which I can say with confidence because NO client has ever brought these concerns to me.