Justice for all

This past week I was confronted with my ambiguity about making this career change.

I attended the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association (NLADA) Conference in Los Angeles. I was an attendee as well as a presenter (La-ti-da I know!) I was surrounded with hundreds of like minded people for three days. I attended sessions on Race and Equality and funding for Family Law cases and Communicating with Clients. Riveting right?

I reminded me of how passionate I am about these issues. It made me realize just HOW much I'm going to feel like I'm selling out by leaving Legal Aid. Perhaps "selling out" is too harsh. Maybe it would be more accurate to say that I feel a sense of loss because I am stepping out of the fight for justice. I could feel myself being overcome with this feeling while at the conference. However, to my credit, I quickly shifted gears to trying to figure out how to stay in the fight while moving forward with my solo practice.

I will need to find some sort of balance. I will stay involved - I need to for my own sanity and feelings of self worth - the "how" of it remains to be seen. I will be having conversations with my current bosses to see what capacity I can help out in.

The other mental shift that will need to occur is to view paying clients as worthy of justice too. That's what all people are seeking when they hire an attorney (at least in my practice areas). And if they aren't - it's either my job to tell them this reality or refuse to assist them in their game of revenge or retribution.