Settlement

This is a Dustin post.

So for the past 6 months I have been working on one big case. I have 12 or 13 smaller cases, but about 90% of my time at work has been devoted to one big case. The case had previously been handled by another attorney who left our firm, and there were a lot of things that had to be . . . fixed.

Well, my big case settled last weekend. And for those of you unfamiliar with settling cases as a defense attorney I can tell you it is quite . . . anticlimactic. When I did plaintiff's work a settlement was great, because it meant my client was getting a big check, and the firm was getting a big check, and (in theory, if not in practice) I was getting closer to a big check.

As a defense attorney, settling a case means my client (usually an insurance company) has to write a big check, I stop getting the opportunity to bill on the case, and I have to find other ways to fill my time. It has been nice to have the stress of the big case off my back, but I miss knowing I could go into work at any time and have something to do. Now I have to make sure all of my small cases are caught up. The firm has a lot of work, so I will be able to make my hours, but it was interesting that everyone kept congratulating me for a job well done (which was nice) and for not having to worry about the case anymore. We got a great result for my client and my insurance carrier, so I am happy with the result, but it didn't feel like a win. It felt like a tie, at best. I guess I need to learn to adjust my conception of what a "win" is for me as a defense attorney.

Anyway, just thought I would share a little bit of my legal world with everyone. I'm sure Marina has more fun posts with videos and pictures of bella coming soon.