May 4, 1992. The day that I began a solo practice with no money, no clients, a mountain of debt, a non-working wife, a small child, and the smallest office I could find to rent for the shortest term possible.
I had worked for two of the most prestigious and most powerful firms in Dallas and the State of Texas. One was an amazing firm named Johnson & Swanson. It was the biggest firm in Dallas and one of, if not THE, best. The other was a very powerful and large plaintiff's firm.
I started without much of anything, but I did have one thing. I had a sincere belief that all of the things I had been taught as a preacher's kid from as far back as I could remember were true -- God would take care of me. More honestly I thought, "Well I believe that it's true, but if not, I'd rather find out now at the age of 31 than when I'm 80."
Turns out that I was right. And all of the preachers, Sunday School teachers, and others that had taught me about God's faithfulness were right!
Within 3 months, I had gone from the smallest office to the largest. I had more paying work to do every day than I could get done, and I had a small firm that was well on it's way to where we are today.
Within that first year, I signed up some of my most memorable cases. One of those was my first paying client that needed a Step-parent adoption done. It was not just my first paying work, but my first paying Family Law case.
One was a sweet lady from East Texas that had been horribly wronged by a moving company (at that time I had a general practice rather than one devoted exclusively to Family Law). That case led to one of my biggest jury trials, against an opponent represented by one of the biggest and best firms in Texas. The trial lasted several days and had a 37 page jury charge. We won a complete victory and made a life-long friend of the client.
Also that year, I was appointed to represent a young man with two beautiful children, a boy and girl about 6 & 7, that he was on the verge of losing forever. (At the time, I was taking court appointments to help pay the bills.) The State of Texas was trying to terminate my client's parental rights, even though he was a "good dad," according to their own records. Another jury trial, another total victory, and more great memories.
Wow. So many memories. It has been a great 25 years. It has been a busy 25 years. And it has been a blessed 25 years.
I have been so blessed and the firm has been so blessed that it is almost hard to believe, when I think back to where and how we began. But when I do, I do believe, because I have always believed -- going back to as far as I can remember.
Thank you to everyone that made the last 25 years possible! Thank you God!! And here's to the next 25 years!!