Believe it or not, lawyers have friends. Those of us who have been in the trenches for a long time have worked with other lawyers as collaborators, adversaries or strategic partners. Unlike many professional colleagues, we often see each other in action, in court, at depositions and at the bargaining table, and sometimes even as our worthy opponents. With this experience and earned respect, we have built strong relationships and regularly refer clients within our networks.
Why does this matter to you? Because I, or one of my many friends, may become your trusted ally when you or someone you know are feeling the most vulnerable. And we will take care of you as we would each other.
So if you ever find yourself wondering whether you were wronged, or if something that happened to you, a friend or loved one, could be the subject of a lawsuit or insurance claim, you have a friend in me. I have decades of experience and success serving plaintiffs in personal injury matters, and I only get paid if we win. If you ever feel afraid to speak up or inquire about your rights, my friends are your friends. They may practice in employment or workers compensation law, family law, or estate planning, to name a few.
This means that instead of wringing your hands, suffering in silence or wasting your time wondering, you should pick up the phone and call a lawyer. If you are friendly or acquainted with an attorney, or find an attorney you like through personal recommendations or an Internet search, contact him or her. If your issue is in a different practice area, that attorney will refer you within a network of colleagues who consider it a privilege to hear your story. If you have one lawyer to turn to, you have whole brigade of advocates at your disposal.
Think of lawyers as citizen soldiers in the battle to ensure the rights of the most vulnerable. Every day we are besieged by new tales of the abuse of those rights, such as injuries in the workplace, harassment and abuse, and acts of negligence, professional or other. When it comes to raising our voice for the voiceless, or the ones who have yet to find their voice, attorneys are part of a united front, dedicated advocates, standing at the ready to fight for you. Despite the negative press and the inevitable bad apples, the legal profession stands in the doorway barring you from injustice, so please consider us your friend, not foe.
Attorney Laird M. Ozmon