A few weeks ago I turned 50 and in a few months I will have been a lawyer for 20 years.  For those who know me to be "on" 24/7, and always a cell phone or a email away, it should come as no surprise that I actually love my work.  By all measures my legal life has been rewarding, but my obsession with my work,  certainly has impacted my family, including daughters, ages, 15, 12 and 8.  Hopefully, this letter that I received from the family of a child whose case we settled a few weeks ago for $7,000,000 (I changed the child’s name), will at least give my kids some understanding of why I do what I do:

Dear Marler Clark and all associates,

I would like to personally thank you for the hard work, dedication, perseverance, sacrifice, love and care that you have shown our family over the last 15 months. Your attention to our family during these hard months is and will always be an extraordinary testimony to our lives and the life of Danny. It is rare that a person can speak fondly of their attorney or any attorney for that matter, and we find ourselves always praising the Marler and Clark team for not only what you have done for our family, but for the awesome people you have working for the firm. A time when our family seemed to be ripping at the seams, we always knew that you were there for us on a level that can never be understood by anyone, but us. A listening ear, a voice of concern, a sincere of heart conversation and many other awesome qualities from your team will always be remembered in our hearts.

Although Danny will never remember these events, we will always be sure to tell him about an amazing team of lawyers and staff from Seattle, Washington who forever changed his life and the dynamics of our family. You will be remembered as the people who gave Danny a voice, when he could not speak for himself, who helped to give him the opportunities that he now has for his life, and who gave hope to a family in their time of trials and tribulation.

We never felt as if we were just any other “clients”, but you made us feel special and that has made all the difference. We truly feel in our souls that God sent you to us not by chance but that is has been an ordained meeting. You and your families will always be in our hearts and prayers. We sill always call you our friends. Thank you again and again.

Sincerely,

Danny’s Family