My First Motion!

Sarah's Post

Last week I filed my very first motion with my name on it! It was very satisfying to sign my name, and have my law firm information on a motion.

                Then I walked out of the court house…and the worrying began. What if they rejected it? What if I didn’t serve the parties correctly? What if the judge hates everything I said, and passes it around to every clerk, judge, lawyer, and janitor in the building as an example of what not to do? I can take being denied on the merits of my claim, but the idea of ridicule was not something I had really thought hard about before and now I’m very nervous.

One of my mentors who started a solo practice right out of law school said she lived in absolute terror the first two years that she had screwed something up. Then, as everything worked out and she got more comfortable with the procedures, she calmed down. I am definitely in the stage of panic and terror:  no one is looking over my shoulder, no one is correcting my work. It’s just me. But it sure is fun advising my own clients. Even if it takes me longer than other lawyers to produce a result, it is a result that in the end I’m proud of.

I have worked on a handful of cases now, and I also find it frustrating to have no idea what to do procedurally with a good case. I can recognize right away that there is something I must be able to do for the client; I just don’t know what that action is yet. I look forward to the day when I can say “Not only do I know that you have a good claim, but I know exactly what to do to help you!” Until then, I am relegated to spending vast amounts of time researching statutes, rules, and procedures, and then asking other attorneys what actions to take. Although I was aware starting my own firm out of law school would involve asking a lot of questions, it’s still frustrating to know the law but not the procedure.

Happy New Year to everyone! I’m ready to rock 2012 – bring it on!