Where we’re going, where I’ve been…
20 years. A pretty damn good accomplishment with a lot of promise for the future.
Since opening the Firm, I married, moved twice, and became the proud father of 3 children, whom I enjoy the pleasure of raising with Martha.
I am thankful for and proud of what we’ve built at CB. While I hear too many lawyers lamenting their experience over the last 20 years or so, what I have had, as the cliche goes, is that I have gotten from it what I have put into it. I have had a chance to explore ideas, learn some craft, create businesses, and earn a living, all in the company daily of brilliant caring people. How good is that?
20 years ago, I had helped start CB, was learning how to litigate (in the fast-paced classroom of the Owens-Illinois case and others) and beginning to fantasize about the business opportunities at the intersection where real estate development meets the financial aspects of environmental remediation. Over the last decade, my partners trusted my judgments on how to turn aspirations toward a viable part of the Firm’s practice and my personal business career. I have seen Jeff Knapp, Andrew Craig, Darin Winick, my clients, and so many others, move forward on successful pathways I’d like to think I helped them chart. In sum, at a relatively young age in this profession, I have enjoyed incredible chances to both give and to receive.
I am energized as Year 21 year commences. I am certain Cuyler Burk is poised at another major jumping off point in its evolution. The market says we’re pretty good at offering clients top-tier quality work, and all of our people deserve to earn a good living, upon which I will insist. But the business plan cannot be to have clients pay for new associates, so they, in turn, can pay off student loans while performing rudimentary document reviews and repackaging old legal research assignments. The reality is that top-notch legal services are in many cases overpriced. Thus, firms like Cuyler Burk will capture increasing market share as corrective action is demanded by the sophisticated legal consumer.
I don’t know where my practice will take me in the next 20 years, but I will work to make it as exciting as the last 20 have been. As long as I am around, which I hope is a long long time, tapping the limits of the Firm’s creativity and courage to express it will be my goals and reasons I wake up every day excited about my career and this Firm..
Thanks to all.
Tags: anniversary