By Sally A. Lanham

I have been a family lawyer for almost 18 years. I always figured that I was serving my term in purgatory while on earth. When I left law school and headed to the big city, I proclaimed in a loud and haughty voice: “I don’t know what I am going to do but it won’t be family law.” God has a strange sense of humor.

Over the years, I have struggled with my profession as a lawyer. I have whined and complained. I have bemoaned the fact I cannot seem to find another profession or as Oprah preaches, “to find my true calling.” I have even stopped practicing for a year only to find my way back into the “life.”

Until recently, I was disgruntled on many days I was in the office. I like to work, so it was hard for me not love every moment I was working. It took me a while to identify what was so distasteful about being a family lawyer.

I finally figured out that I did not like using my skills and expertise to be mean to other people. I also hate to disappoint those around me. My clients always had the aura of despair around them and I felt I never really did get them enough. Clients seem to imbue their attorneys with the ability to change the past and make things right. No matter how hard I have tried, I cannot ever really make the pain of a lost marriage and broken family go away. I simply don’t have super human powers.

God has a sense of humor and events of the recent weeks have made me finally love and be thankful for my profession. On August 14, 2004 I had a life changing moment. (Oprah would have been proud.) I received the news that my lovely, sweet, intelligent, loving daughter had High Risk Acute Lymposytic Leukemia with Central Nervous System involvement. She is facing a 2.5 year treatment protocol. The first year is very intense. I have spent literally weeks at the hospital for her many chemo and radiation treatments. I am glad to report she is in remission and her chances for full recovery are very high.

This unwelcome news gave me an entire new perspective on my profession. I soon discovered that lawyers, judges and clients are the best! The first day I was able to be back in the office I realized how good it was to be able to do what I do. I can actually effectuate change in people’s lives. If feels good to work with other people’s problems.

I am so thankful to have clients that asked me how my daughter is doing before they explained their current dilemma. What a relief to have judges who granted changes of case assignment areas and continuances with understanding. I cannot begin to thank and be thankful enough for my opposing counsel in my cases and my former opponents for their curtesy, understanding, flexibility and cooperation. Their offers of help often bring me to tears.

I am so thankful to have a profession that lets me work from home. I am thankful to be part of a firm that fully supports my need to bill less and be with my daughter more. I am thankful to have such great colleagues and professionals to work with every day. I am very thankful to be a Family Lawyer in Seattle. n