Preparation by Justin Steele

           One thing that I have learned as a clerk here at Rice, Amundsen, & Caperton is the art of preparation.  A genius once said, “The three most important things an attorney can focus on are preparation, preparation, and preparation.”  From the beginning, it’s necessary to have an eye toward the possibility of litigation.  Sometimes when people are getting divorced they can be a little upset.  Anger and frustration are unavoidable and necessary reactions to an incredibly difficult part of any client’s life.  However, often times that anger and frustration turns into a lawyer having to be prepared to go to bat for many little legal issues.  While the goal is always settlement, it would be a bad idea for an attorney to forget that settlements fall apart quickly and litigation may be the result.  Litigation is not the only thing you have to be prepared for.  For instance, sometimes you have to prepare to meet with a client.   Often times, preparation means looking back through your own notes or mentally preparing to tell a client that you will be parting ways shortly.  On complicated cases, preparation may include the regular acts of researching, writing, getting all your files together, organizing, and indexing,  as well as, holding mock trials and having a team of people throw the most off the wall questions at you.

            Regardless of the way that you prepare or your attorney prepares, everyone can agree that preparation is absolutely the most important thing an attorney can do.  Preparation can make or break a case and an attorney’s practice.