Well, Hello. I’ve been away for a long while. So far, 2016 has been The Year Of The Long Trial(s). These have been cases where there was no middle ground. That happens sometimes. It’s a terrible thing, actually. There is a crushing financial burden on all the litigants, and an enormous drain on time and emotional resources. The time and emotional drain is the case for the litigants and their lawyers. I work so hard to make the trial appear seamless and “easy.” The truth is far different from the appearance. There are hours and hours and hours devoted to planning, reading, researching, outlining, writing, practicing, talking, listening. And, thinking. Some of my best brainstorms occur in the shower. After all these years, it’s still jarring for my husband when I race out of the shower to my nearby notepad and furiously scribble my epiphany. I sometimes wonder if my clients appreciate all the mental hours I spend thinking about their situation and how I can bring it to life in a courtroom, or how I can help solve the dilemma. I worry. I care about their life. I care about what they have built over a lifetime. I care about their kids. I genuinely want my people to heal.