Officially Inactive
I am now officially inactive. Since I spend most days being sedentary, the
change may not be visible. But a change
it is. As of February 1, I became an
“inactive” lawyer in Arizona*.
I became an
attorney on Friday, November 6, 1981, when I was sworn in, along with three of
my best law school buddies, by the Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme
Court. The following Monday my friends
and I opened up the second all woman law office in Dayton –Bates, Riley,
Sorrell & Tell--and waited for clients to show up.
Dayton’s
economy wasn’t doing very well at that time, and there was a glut of office
space. We were able to get a really
nice corner suite on the seventh floor of the 111 Building at an affordable
rent. It was very close to the
courthouse and its free law library, some upscale clothing stores (The Metropolitan,
Rikes, Elder-Beermans, and BMT) and some great restaurants. Everything new female attorneys needed.
We each put
in $2000.00 for operating capital to see us through the first six months, by
which time we expected to be earning enough to pay the overhead. The plan worked. We were fortunate to never have to add any
additional family money into the business. We worked hard and kept the
overhead low. In those days there were no computers to buy. One of us had an electric typewriter she
brought in until we could afford a new one.
Someone else donated office furniture that her husband’s business wasn’t
using. Another partner’s mother
volunteered to answer the phone and do a little typing. Everybody pitched in, got on court appointment
lists, and did whatever it took to earn some fees.
I doubt that a new lawyer today could start a
practice the way we did. Most are
saddled with huge student loans, and the courts here in Arizona now require all lawyers to file
electronically. A used typewriter and a
ordinary phone won’t suffice.
Computers, cell phones, faxes, copiers, Lexis or WestLaw for on-line
research have all become necessities.
Simply buying the basics requires a big investment upfront and monthly service
contracts.
After the
initial excitement and fun, we had to knuckle down and work of course. Like all lawyers we had good clients and
bad; good outcomes and some that weren’t so good. Gradually my partners went on to do other
things. One went into law
enforcement. Another became a judge. I left private practice after about eight
years and became a ward of the state—first working as an Assistant Prosecuting
Attorney and later as a Deputy Public Defender. Criminal law is always interesting,
sometimes heart-breaking but more often hilarious, regardless of which side
you’re on.
So it wasn’t
an easy decision to become “inactive”.
But since I’m retired and not working as a lawyer, I couldn’t justify
the extra cost just to remain active in name.
I thought of all the beads I could buy with the savings. Besides, I didn’t delete my legal
knowledge; I just gave up the privilege of representing other people.
Today I’m
doing some consulting, and I’m dabbling in another venture—making and selling jewelry
as “Desert Dabbler”. Both of which involve more sitting and
thinking. Guess I really am inactive.
2 comments:
Congratulations on your retirement and your new venture. My sister-in-law makes jewellery and my daughter makes glass beads. I'm sure both of them are looking forward to the day they can retire and spend more time beading.
Thanks, Margie!
I hope you're enjoying Arizona!
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