Being called a “closer” is a great compliment for any attorney. This is even more so for a solo practitioner. It implies that one can get the job done. A closer is the individual who finishes the deal. It can refer to anything from closing a residential sale to completing the purchase of a car or finalizing litigation with a monetary settlement. As a solo practitioner, we close, as we begin: Alone. And that is a big deal.
I often discuss the loneliness of a solo practitioner, whether it is the solitude of writing a brief by myself or arguing a motion alone. Who do I go to when I have an idea? Which colleague do I call when I want to check myself? Should I take this case? Anxiety is often difficult to resolve when you work on your own, although feelings of seclusion are present during good times as well. A case closing is an especially isolating time for the solo practitioner.
In my practice, I work with individuals. I meet with families, often during trying times in their lives. Death, divorce, and illness are the impetus for my firm’s estate plans, lawsuits, and negotiations. In addition to the law, there exists a lot of emotion, a lot of anger, and a lot of tears. Different from some other fields of law, I get to know every one of my clients. I need to in order to aptly represent them. I meet and speak with them. As time progresses, I sometimes attend their celebrations as do I their funerals.
As a solo practitioner, there are no other associates to send on my behalf or to stand in for me. As such, I get to know my clients very well, especially since the issues we discuss by nature of the practice are so serious. Therefore, when a matter ends, by a court or by settlement, it is a breakup of sorts. From a legal perspective, an attorney wants to finalize cases and close files. But what about the relationships? And how do you get to that closing place, alone?
Working with individuals on family and estate litigation is personal. A lot of time is spent focusing on what the client wants from the litigation and when and how it will be achieved. After years of litigation, a settlement resulting in a check or a business interest provides tangible closure for the client. Unfortunately, the emotional impact of the litigation, often against close family members, may not be healed. As counsel, I often feel the emotion, often having to guide clients from very trying situations, just by the nature of the estate or familial issue.
Getting a client to close is huge, no matter the size of the law firm. It is something to be happy about especially when the case has been active for a significant amount of time, like several years. For me, however, it is more than closing a deal. It affirms my ability to operate on my own. It confirms my legal capabilities. It adds to my confidence. It makes me proud. Beyond legal fees and praise, it lets me know that I am doing what I am meant to do, all by myself.
Cori A. Robinson is a solo practitioner having founded Cori A. Robinson PLLC, a New York and New Jersey law firm, in 2017. For more than a decade Cori has focused her law practice on trusts and estates and elder law including estate and Medicaid planning, probate and administration, estate litigation, and guardianships. She can be reached at cori@robinsonestatelaw.com.