From the Yld President
| Publication year | 2009 |
| Pages | 0012 |
| Citation | Vol. 14 No. 5 Pg. 0012 |
by Joshua C. Bell
The Paper Chase
"Life is an interesting journey. You never know where it'll take you. Peaks and valleys, twists and turns, you can get the surprise of your life. Sometimes on the way to where you're going you might think this is the worst time of my life. But you know what, at the end of the road through all the adversity if you get where you wanted to be you remember what don't kill you made you stronger and all the adversity was worth it."[1]
Ever since I can remember, I have always enjoyed different types of music. I have enjoyed the rap/hip-hop genre since high school. Even though I have enjoyed rap music, I had never really listened until recently. In my life-long quest to become a better lawyer and person, I look for help wherever I can find it. I found some help in the words of T.I.
For those of you who don't know, T.I. is a very popular and successful rap star. In the song "Live Your Life," T.I. tells us that in his line of work too many people are focused on "chasing paper." Of course I believe "chasing paper" is the constant obsession with money. I also believe that many in the legal profession spend too much time concerned about the amount of money that is made by themselves and other lawyers.
"In my life-long quest to become a better lawyer and person I look for help wherever I can find it."
I don't want anyone to be confused about what I am saying. I hope that I get rich practicing law. I hope everyone does. At a minimum, I want us all to be able to provide what is necessary for our families. My point is a simple one. Being obsessed with money to the point that clients suffer or even worse that you compromise yourself in the search for more money is a road you should never travel.
"On the way to the top you'll do anything, but how do you get your life back when you get there...."[2]
There was a time in the not too distant past that I felt as if I may be on this road. I felt as if my clients were on an assembly line. The quicker I could get them gone, the more money there would be for me.
The more clients I could get, the more money there would be for me. I hope I stay off this road forever because it's very easy to get on and not so easy to get off. What's the answer? How do you stay off this road?
"What you need to do is be thankful for the life you got. Stop looking at what you ain't got and...
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