Last week in a fit of desperation, I asked a client facing a domestic violence related charge how he met his ex-girlfriend, the complainant. The man, who had tried to fire me on the last court date, softened his expression. He shook his head and launched into an intimate, if at times off-color, tale of love at first sight. Our conversation sparked ideas for trial strategy, and also re-built trust between us. Personal details served a professional purpose.

Last week in a fit of desperation, I asked a client facing a domestic violence related charge how he met his ex-girlfriend, the complainant. The man, who had tried to fire me on the last court date, softened his expression. He shook his head and launched into an intimate, if at times off-color, tale of love at first sight. Our conversation sparked ideas for trial strategy, and also re-built trust between us. Personal details served a professional purpose.

What we don’t need are well intentioned statements of support which appear to be supportive, but actually provide false and misleading information. Statements which leaves the impression that public defense lawyers are failing in the face of the near impossible environment in which we are placed. That impression is completely wrong. Public defense lawyers face enormous obstacles every day—many times repeatedly every day. However, we are not falling down when faced with these challenges. Instead, we are fighting and clawing to achieve justice for each person we represent.

What we don’t need are well intentioned statements of support which appear to be supportive, but actually provide false and misleading information. Statements which leaves the impression that public defense lawyers are failing in the face of the near impossible environment in which we are placed. That impression is completely wrong. Public defense lawyers face enormous obstacles every day—many times repeatedly every day. However, we are not falling down when faced with these challenges. Instead, we are fighting and clawing to achieve justice for each person we represent.

This is the audio version of a webinar on Dec 19, 2014. The webinar contained powerful images. To see the video version of the webinar go to www.mygideon.org

This is the audio version of a webinar on Dec 19, 2014. The webinar contained powerful images. To see the video version of the webinar go to www.mygideon.org

Playing offense on defense’ is what a multi-disciplinary defense practice allows us to do; a remedy for the soul-crushing reality above.