06/29/2026
"You saved my life."
It isn't often I hear those words although I have had similar sentiments bestowed on me often over the years by grateful clients. But those exact words threw me for a loop today when I ran into a former client in the store who flung her arms around me, with tears in her eyes.
The back story: it was an especially ugly custody trial, with a ruthless , verbally abusive parent on the other side with a natural born gift for appearing to otherwise be the victim, an extremely well-compensated Buckhead law firm only too happy to portray their client in the best possible (read: nonexistent) light, a Guardian Ad Litem who just didn't get it and emotionally traumatized kids who did not want to be forced to visit, to the point one of them contemplated su***de to a teacher. One positive: we had a judge who DID get it and the other side, despite throwing everything at us including a scathing GAL report and the kitchen sink, lost badly.
And I guess somewhere, I was part of the equation, although I was quick to correct this sweet client and tell her the credit all came from the Lord; I was just His instrument. She replied, "I have no doubt He sent you."
Family law is a very tough profession with an extremely high burnout rate. It is definitely a calling.
If you find yourself in need of a family law attorney, make sure you choose a seasoned professional who views it as a calling and not just another practice area to bring in revenue.
