From the time I was in second grade, I wanted to be a lawyer. I worked hard to qualify to go to law school. I graduated magna cum laude, with a bachelor’s degree in economics. I graduated cum laude from law school. I clerked for a District Court Judge for a year, and I was ready to start my career.
I accepted a job working for one of the largest law firms in the state. It was an insurance defense firm. We represented clients for insurance companies.
I worked my way up in the firm, putting in long and hard hours. After a few years, I started to get cases of my own. I was really enjoying my chosen career.
One day, a case was referred to me. An employer was being sued because several workers had been injured at the employer’s facility. I reviewed the facts, and I spoke to the opposing attorney who told me that they would be willing to accept a settlement somewhere between $200,000 and $400,000.
I wrote a memo to the attorney in our firm who was first chair on the case, suggesting that it would make sense to settle the claim in the range the opposing attorney identified. The attorney later stormed into my office with a red face and yelled, “Are you an idiot? Do you know how much we can bill on this case? Why would you suggest a settlement.”
We did not offer a settlement. In short, our firm ended up billing $3 million on the case. We hired a second firm to help. That firm billed $2 million. The day before trial, we settled the case for $2 million. The insurance company paid out over $7 million on a case that could have been settled for a few hundred thousand dollars.
I was embarrassed to be a part of that case and upset by the unnecessary cost to the insurance company.
A few months later, I took a position as general counsel for a large direct sales company. I have now been in the industry for over 25 years. I am proud to be part of an industry that offers true opportunities to anyone willing to work hard. It is an industry that rewards effort and perseverance.
The industry is not perfect. There are plenty of companies that stretch the truth, spin the story, or otherwise lack integrity. However, as a whole, I know that I am able to maintain my integrity and the integrity of the companies for which I work.
It’s been great to partner with Rave Retailers. They do what they say and say what they do.
Their integrity is why I choose Rave.
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