A moment.

As many of my friends, including regular readers of this blog, are well aware, I have struggled periodically with whether I want to continue working as an attorney. There are so many negative aspects involved in the practice of law and the positives sometimes feel few and far between. But there certainly are times when the satisfaction of a well-written brief, the sincere appreciation expressed by a nice client or a hard-won victory make it seem worthwhile.

Yesterday I experienced all of those kinds of moments at once. I had a morning hearing on behalf of two clients, who were interested enough in the outcome to attend and watch. Apparently, the gallery (the benches in the court room where people sit to watch the lawyers and judge speaking in the open area in front of them) was fairly full for this hearing, but I didn't notice because I was focused on the argument. The hearing was on a motion that I filed, one in which we asked the judge to do something that is not very commonly done. I knew it would be a hard decision for her to make, though I felt very strongly that my client was entitled to that finding. The hearing was very intense and lasted nearly an hour; at the end, the judge ruled in my clients' favor, delivering a ruling that could very well significantly affect the outcome of the case.

Afterward, while my clients and I waited for the elevator, they shared their appreciation and complimented the way in which I had handled the argument. We were all very excited about the outcome, which was a significant victory within our case. While we were talking, a woman approached us and asked my name. I told her my first name and, not satisfied, she asked for my last name. After I gave it (a bit nervously, as I felt as if I was about to be reprimanded by someone else's parent, given her tone of voice), she said, much to my surprise, "You were excellent in there! While we listened to you, I turned to my husband and said, 'SHE is the kind of lawyer we needed!" She went on for a bit, until I sheepishly said, as any good lawyer would, "Would you like my card?"

A small moment, to be sure, but it does feel good to believe from time to time that I am good at what I do and that it matters to others. Even if it isn't quite at the level of freeing someone who has been wrongfully held at Guantanamo or helping someone gain asylum here because they are being persecuted in their home country or putting a stop to our Administration's relentless assault on the human rights of American citizens and others.