Sleeping With the Fishes

By Lisa LeFante 

Let’s face it, being a lawyer is hard. Being a family lawyer is even harder. We all know that lawyers get a bad rap . . . What do you call 1,000 lawyers at the bottom of the sea? . . . A good start! Family lawyers get an even worse rap . . . our clients blame us for their moral lapses (no, I did not tell you to sleep with your neighbor when I said you could go on vacation) and our opposing parties call us the devil incarnate and file lawsuits against us.

We are sharks, we are shysters, we are all that is evil in the world. And yet . . . we are counselors, we are advisors, we are shoulders that support the people who need help navigating the worst time in their lives.

It is good to know that we are not alone. There are over 1,400 members in the North Carolina Bar Association’s Family Law Section. In addition to providing continuing legal education, the section offers access to the Listserv, networking socials, panel discussions, Lunch and Learns, a section blog, legislative support, ethics updates and pro bono projects.

More importantly, we provide a community of people who understand what it means to be a family lawyer. Join us, at a CLE or at the annual meeting or at a social networking event or at a Bar Council Meeting (Ketan promises they will be short). Get involved. Chair a committee. Make a friend. Find a mentor. If you are going to be at the bottom of the sea, it’s nice to know you are not alone.