President's Page, 0915 ALBJ, 76 The Alabama Lawyer 292 (2015)
| Author | Lee H. Copeland, J. |
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\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0A Lucky Man
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0This summer, I was sworn in as president of the Alabama State Bar. At the Grand Convocation, I said that I was the luckiest man in the world and I am.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0I am lucky to have a wonderful wife and two healthy and intellectually curious children. I am lucky to work at a firm-Copeland, Franco, Screws & Gill-who, in my humble opinion (well, in my opinion, whether it's humble or not), has more brain-power and professionalism per square inch than any other firm that I know.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0I am really lucky, though, to work in our profession. The business of being a lawyer, whether it's negotiating a lease, litigating a civil issue or trying a criminal case, is entirely different from most professions. When two doctors are treating a patient, they have a common purpose-to save the patient. They are working toward the same resolution. When two architects design a building together, they have a singular purpose-to build the best building and to do it safely. When two lawyers are working on a case, they are on opposite sides. They are working together to achieve opposite results. It is in that working space that professionalism is crucial for attorneys.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Judge Paul Warner, a federal magistrate judge in Utah, recently wrote Ten Tips on Civility and Professionalism. To borrow (of course, I mean steal) from his points, below are three of his tips that I think are critical:
• What goes around comes around. You never know when you are going to be the lawyer who needs the extension on discovery or on a filing or has booked a family cruise vacation and needs scheduling help. Think about it before saying "no" to the other side because tomorrow it may be you who will be asking.
• Being reasonable and accommodating are not signs of weakness. In fact, I have found that the best lawyers are those who are accommodating and those who are reasonable.
• Do not be so concerned about winning the battle that you lose the war. The "war" in the professionalism context means how you are viewed by other lawyers, how you are viewed by the bench and how you are viewed in your community. Focusing on winning a motion at the...
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