This week I've been confronted by the reality that a large part of what I do involves dealing with people at their worst. My clients are going through divorce. Some are facing bankruptcy. Others have been personally injured, and still others are facing jail time. Stress can do a number on a person's ability to cope and adapt to life's ups and downs. Sometimes that stress gets taken out on me. Occasionally, my clients will lash out at a staff member, and while I'm sensitive to what they're going through, a vital part of my job is to remind my client that it's never appropriate to take their frustrations out on me or my staff because we're here to help. We're all on the same team, and as the old adage goes: don't bite the hand that feeds you.

There are times when I've had to escort clients out of meetings to remind them of the fact that while I'm sensitive to their emotional upset, at no time is it okay to curse or yell at me or anyone who works for me. How can I effectively advocate for a person who can't maintain his composure in our private interactions? If I'm not able to reign in an irate client in private, I run the risk of allowing that person's bad behavior to impact the outcome of his case in the eye's of the judge when we make it to court. That's not a risk I'm willing to take. I'd much rather offend a client and obtain the desired outcome he seeks than placate a difficult person to his own detriment.

Contrary to popular belief, lawyers are people too. We have good and bad days like everyone else, but the lawyer who can't control her emotions is the one who cannot keep a cool head to make sound decisions for her client, and I refuse to be that type of attorney. I've seen lawyers in screaming fits, in tears, and visibly shaken in the hallways of court rooms, but once those lawyers reach the presence of the judge or the jury, their game face is on in spite of how they may be feeling. An important part of our job is how we relate to our clients. Any attorney who has been practicing for any amount of time has more than a few stories about the time they had to talk a client off of the ledge in order to get past the strong emotional component of their case and make sure the job is done.

We can't always be your friend. We're also not your therapist, although we are definitely legal counselors. Boundaries have to be maintained for our welfare and for the benefit of our clients. Keep that in mind the next time you blow off some steam on a customer service rep or anyone else you may encounter on a bad day. That person has feelings and is just trying to do his job. We're all doing our level best to help you, and that's made much easier when you cooperate and keep your emotions in check.

For professional advice and to schedule a legal consultation, be sure to give me a call at (713 ) 574-8626.