The little calendar notification that my blog was due recently caught me during a rant.
I had just learned about some let’s say unscrupulous behavior in which certain colleagues are engaging.
Since I wasn’t finished being annoyed when the notification popped up, I figured, hey, why not just go with it? Put your seatbelts on, blog readers. (No, really, always wear your seatbelts.)
What you see is what you get
I never pretend to be something I’m not.
I can’t come up with a single good reason to do that, personally or professionally. It seems futile, because after a while I’d inevitably let my guard down and start being authentically me. The certain backlash from such a shift doesn’t appeal to me.
So, I tell it like it is. I own who I am and what I have to offer (and what I don’t). I face my challenges head on.
Every day is an opportunity to learn, to grow, and yes, to fail. I’m an excellent failer, in fact, but I do what I can to fail forward.
If I were a great blogger I’d insert some famous quote about finding a zillion ways not to make a lightbulb. Maybe one day. A girl can dream.
Not willing to make sacrifices
I can say a few things with absolute certainty about my professional ethics, things that do not necessarily hold true with all professionals in my field, or beyond. I will ALWAYS be is authentic with my clients.
Additionally, I will ALWAYS be is ethical. What I will NEVER do is threaten or blackmail colleagues or other businesses in an effort to line my own pockets.
If hiring me is not in a potential client’s best interests, I will, and have, turned that client away, and even referred that client to a competitor.
The name I choose to make for myself, and for Luhrsen Goldberg, is that I, we, are trustworthy with honorable intentions every damn time.
I don’t refer my clients to any professional unless I believe that professional is a good fit for my client.
I don’t keep lists, I don’t engage in quid pro quo, I don’t sell my client’s well-being for future referrals
Integrity is paramount
I take my obligation as fiduciary, counselor, confidante, and legal professional very, very seriously.
If you ever find yourself in need of an attorney, maybe its these questions you need to be asking in an interview with that attorney. I could easily tell you how much I’ve “won for my clients.” (A number that, mind you, does not necessarily mean my client ever saw that amount due to obligations to pay attorney’s fee, file costs, medical providers, etc. Just food for thought.)
You should care about the commitment I will make to you, and the efforts I will make on your behalf and in your best interests. And yes, you should interview potential attorneys rather than simply submitting your information online or meeting with a staff member.
You’re not hiring staff. You’re hiring, and paying for, an attorney. Respect yourself and your situation enough to demand to meet with an attorney, ask the tough questions, and get answers to the ones that truly matter.