Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Under the Radar

This morning's Times contained one of those bulky glossies, usually sponsored by the real estate industry. I was surprised to see that it was a Manhattan edition of Superlawyers 2006, an advertising supplement in which the Big Apple's biggest and best mouthpieces were honored. The cover was adorned with a photo of Donald Trump's go-to real estate guy. That tells me a lot about the mentality of this project.

Congratulations to those chosen, because no doubt they're great lawyers doing great jobs. I even know a few of you by name. Kudos especially to one firm of patent lawyers whom I know, in which all the partners were named as superlawyers. They didn't even buy one of those self-congratulatory, full-page ads.That means you got chosen without paying for it.

I was curious to see who got anointed, and I wasn't surprised about who didn't. How were the lawyers chosen? "Each year we mail a ballot to every lawyer in Manhattan who's been in practice for at least five years." No you didn't. I didn't get one, and I have been toiling in these fields for a quarter century.

Funny thing, didn't anybody think to ask clients? Do clients get to weigh in on the subject?

Like the American Lawyer, the People's magazine for the bar, Superlawyers caters to lawyers engaged in Big Firm Law -- Celebrity Lawyers. Is that a bump we see under that M&A lawyer's tailored pants suit? In fields not traditionally part of large firm practices, such as matrimonial law and bankruptcy, those given the nod were with Big Law Firms. Whatever happened to the courthouse sharpies, the silver-tongued devils, master mind-melters, the folks working in the shadows? Algonquin J. Calhoun? What about the lawyers who forced New York City's legislature to act on the toxicity of lead paint found in public housing? That's not Super? And how about the folks who fight for causes just because they are just? Why is it that the pro bono lawyers that were chosen were ones working for large firms? What about Legal Aid and Legal Services? All shleppers?

I didn't find my name in this dogpile. I don't have a niche. I am a general practitioner in a small practice. I am not a Superlawyer, but hopefully I am a good one mostly with some days when I can see clear over to the other side of a problem, anticipate my adversary's next move, lay a trap or two and manage the situation to my client's advantage. Some of my clients may consider me a Superlawyer but my brethren never will.

And that hurts. It's not about the money because I make more than enough. It's about the perception that somehow what Big Law Firms do is more important than what us solo guys do. I couldn't fulfill my family's dreams, but I hope to fulfill my own. And then there's the New York Times telling me in effect, I'm not even in the game. I don't need the New York Times to remind me that Superlawyers are the kind of folks who send us brown-shoe guys out to get the coffee.

Fair's fair. This is the profession I chose, and I am not the kind of person who would have tolerated or survived in a big firm. I do what I do because it is what I know to do. It's given me a livelihood and a profession that I truly love, and I am grateful for every bit of it. That should be enough but it isn't. I want some recognition for what I do; an acknowledgment that I've done okay - more than okay. Maybe I'm just looking for love in the wrong place again. Next time I'll stick to the sports section.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home