Law school

Written By: Andrew Nichols

Every profession comes with learning moments and opportunities.  During my time as an attorney, I’ve had so many of these moments.  Here are three of the best lessons I’ve learned.

1. Zealously representing your client does not mean you have to be a complete jerk.  As a general rule, throughout my career, I have had very good working relationships with my opposing counsel.  You often hear people say they want a “pit bull” who will fight for them and they seem to believe this is best demonstrated by screaming at the other attorney(s) and being difficult to work with.  In my nearly 20 years of practice, I have found the opposite to be true.  When I was in law school, one of the most important lessons I had a professor teach me, is that you get one crack at establishing your professional reputation.   By being courteous and professional, I have been able to establish good working relationships, and in many cases, friendships, with opposing counsel.  Without doubt, this has allowed me to get better results for my clients.

2. Having a job that allows you to have a happy balance with work and personal/family time really has a value to which you can’t assign money.  Prior to starting Horman Nichols, I was a partner, and prior to making partner, an associate attorney with a mid-sized firm in Baltimore.  When I interviewed at that firm, I had just found out my wife was pregnant with our first child.  The partner I interviewed with assured me that the firm believed in a balance of work and family.  At the time they offered me a position as an associate attorney, I had two other job offers on the table that were offering a higher salary.  I accepted the position with my old firm because I knew life was going to change (I didn’t know how much!) and I didn’t want to be chained to a desk.  I have never regretted that decision.  

3. Just be nice to people.  This ties back in with number 1 above, but it can’t be stressed enough.  I vividly remember after a 3-day jury trial in Cecil County, I had the courtroom bailiff (a retired law enforcement officer) stop me as I was leaving the courtroom.  He thanked me and said I’d shown him more courtesy over the last 3 days than some local attorneys he’d known for years.  The only thing I really recalled doing was simply saying good morning and good night every day, and thanking him for his assistance in the courtroom.  My parents taught me that your degree or your job doesn’t make you better than someone else and I try to keep that lesson with me.  I’ll say it again – just be nice.