True confessions

I'm hoping that some of my former colleagues in law will read this blog from time to time. Others who know me may read it also. For their benefit, let me get this issue out of the way up front.

In 1998 I was admitted to the Nebraska bar. I practiced with a county attorney, a criminal defense firm, a general practice, a personal injury firm, and on my own. From 2004-2006 I had a sole practice. Part of the time I was office sharing with a Spanish-speaking insurance company; the rest of the time I had a small office.

The last couple of years I practiced, I became more and more disenchanted with law. I won't go into a rant about the injustice of the justice system. It is about as good as it can be without a major overhaul to which nobody will agree. (More on that anon.) As I became disenchanted, my enthusiasm for my clients' cases waned. I let things slip. I made mistakes. Towards the end I just didn't give a damn about my clients. I wasn't making any money; I had to do everything myself; they were all guilty as hell (not really true) and I hated myself for having that attitude. I knew I was in the process of screwing up my career and a lot of other things, but I just didn't care.

In August 2006, after a long discussion with my wife, I resolved to leave the practice of law in September. I took no more new cases, made arrangements to transfer existing cases to other attorneys, and began wrapping things up. I also notified the Bar Association that I would resign at the end of the year, when my license would be up for renewal.

But it's not that easy to get yourself out of a pile of crap you've put yourself into. About two weeks after I announced that I was leaving the law, I received a copy of a bar complaint from a client. She complained that I had done nothing on her case in two years, and that I kept making up excuses or imaginary court dates that didn't happen.

I had to face the proverbial music: I could not contest her allegations. So my response to the complaint was to state exactly that and that I would surrender my license immediately. The Supreme Court's Counsel for Discipline discussed this with me prior to my submitting my formal response. I must state that the attorney I spoke with was more than fair. But, as I said, I couldn't contest the allegations, I was leaving the bar anyway, and saw no reason to drag it out. I just wanted out and didn't care what happened. My response was accepted. I surrendered my license. The Court accepted my no contest response and issued an order of disbarment on December 15, 2006.

Since then, it's been a tough year for a number of reasons. But I am not asking anyone's pity or sympathy. I screwed up. I admitted it. I've accepted the consequences, even though I haven't always liked it. I did not go into "treatment" for anything, since I am no more insane than I have ever been; I am not an alcoholic, drug addict, or anything else. I was just stupid, and there isn't a lot anyone else can do for that.

For the last six months I've been preparing for the Nebraska Supreme Court Interpreter's Exam in Spanish. I don't know how well I will do. But given that I have been an interpreter in one language or another since 1973, and that most of my clientele the last three years were Spanish speakers, that seems the logical place to go. If I screw this one up... well, I will just do my best not to.

Thank you for listening to my confession.