My profession founded this country and other truths I'm proud to admit about being a lawyer.

The political season is in full swing again and so are the attacks on lawyers. I want to throw something at the TV everytime I see an ad that calls one of the candidates a "lawyer" or "trial lawyer" like it is a cuss word.

I want the lawyer/candidate to stand up and say "Yes. I am a lawyer and I will be a better Governor/ Mayor/ Representative because of it." Most of the founding fathers were lawyers. A recent poll showed that the most admired fictional character was Atticus Finch. How can a person be expected to make laws if they do not understand them?

Being a lawyer is a profession not a job. There are only three professions: law, medicine and accounting (actual CPA accounting-not bookkeeping). For many, being a lawyer is a calling. There is a reason why we are called "attorneys and counselors at law." Many times in my career I have felt the counselor more than the attorney part of that title. I have held a client's hands after the death of a loved one. I have cried with them and rejoiced with them. I love my job and solve people's problems. Not many people can say that about what they do everyday.

I sometimes hear that lawyers are liars or cheats. I never understand this. We have the highest ethical standards of any profession and the most self-policing. If you violate those ethics, you can no longer practice. No one is going to put their law license on the line for a little lie or even for an entire case. We know another one is around the corner.

In South Carolina, lawyers are required to be on a court appointment list. We are required to be appointed to cases, most of the time with absolutely no fee. Department of Social Service cases, Post conviction relief cases, etc. We have to take the case or pay another attorney out of our own pocket to take the case. Can you imagine if the state told doctors they were required to treat a certain number of patients every month for free or they could not practice medicine in the state? In contrast, every lawyer in this state has taken on the burden of the budget shortfall to keep the juridical system running. These are costs that should be paid by the taxpayer through the legislature, instead lawyers are working sometimes 100s of hours a year to, among other things, make sure that children and parents' rights are protected during removal hearings and that incompetent adults' rights are heard when they are committed to the state's care-all for free,

I also hear alot about "frivolous" lawsuits. Nikki Haley calls them "junk" lawsuits. What is that? I have no idea. Lawyers do not take cases that they cannot make money on. If it truly had no merit, there is a procedure with the Court to get the case dismissed. Further, a lawyer cannot ethically file a suit she feels has no merit. Lawyers would be broke if they filed a "frivolous" lawsuit. Lawyers normally put the money up front to fund a lawsuit. If the suit recovers no money, not only does the lawyer not get paid, she losses money that she spent on costs.

The classic insult from a lawyer to a doctor is "While your profession was draining George Washington with leaches, mine was writing the Constitution." Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, John Adams, James Madison, John Jay.. all were lawyers. It is reasonable for you to expect your politicians to be able to write, read and interpret the law. It is not a cuss word to be a lawyer, we are part of an honored profession and your best friend when your husband cheats on you, your landlord won't fix your heat, your business partner embezzles funds from you, your vendor won't pay, your wife passes away or an idiot runs into the back of you while texting. What are those ads attacking lawyer candidates during election time saying? I don't know, but I do know I will never vote for anyone who runs one.

Raising Grateful Children

I've always thought the number one key to happiness is to be grateful. Grateful to be alive, grateful for a stable marriage, grateful for health...etc. When I was a child and people would feel sorry for me because of my family situation, I would say that I was luckier than the average child because I had so many adults that voluntarily wanted to take care of me and love me. They didn't do it because I was their child, but because they actually chose me. When I feel terrible I literally count my blessings, pick myself up and get going.

With my own children I have been trying to stave off the brat that wants to come out of them when they don't get to watch the television show the want or the toy they want. I feel like I have been falling woefully short on instilling gratefulness in their personalities and that this will effect thier larger happiness.

I read on other mommy blogs about Gratituesday. Gratituesday is an activity where you set Tuesday aside for everyone in the family to say what they are grateful for from the previous week. On Tuesdays we have soccer, so we are having Gratimondays instead. We tried tonight and I got the children to three things for the last week (I'm not letting them cop out with the "I thankful for mommy and daddy. " These have to be specific instances within the last week).

I think this week I am going to put two pieces of paper on the fridge- one for each child. As good things happen throughout the week, we will write them on the paper. I think this will make coming up with their list on Mondays easier for the preschool set.

We will see how it goes. I am open to any ideas for showing the kids to be happy with what they have and grateful for this wonderful life...