Perhaps the best career advice I ever received was from my mother, a third-grade teacher, when I was eleven. We were driving down M-21, a two-lane highway in rural Michigan. She said, “You should be a lawyer. Lawyers like to talk, read, and write.” 

Nearly fifty years later, a young associate started our conversation with a conclusion. “I can’t write well,” he said. Over the next few weeks, he said it again and again. 

Finally, in the same teacher-voice my mother used, I said, “You’re not allowed to say that anymore. A lawyer who can’t write is like a basketball player who can’t dribble. You can learn to be a better writer, just as a basketball player can learn to become a better dribbler.” 

​

An excellent lawyer must write well. My MFA degree, earned in 2022, increased my appreciation of the importance of storytelling in developing case strategy and presentation. Lawyers who want or need to improve their writing skills can do so, with direction and a reasonable investment of time and effort. Writing well builds clarity of thought, creativity, and confidence. Please consider my legal writing workshop, and/or eight-week individual boot camp.