Think about it, a client comes to you stating that some years ago he had a stroke. I can tell by the way he walks from the waiting room into my office that something is not right. His walk is not the only thing that gave me the feeling that something was wrong. While completing the long-winded government forced intake sheet that requires thousands of signatures, I notice that a little gray-haired woman helps him complete every inch of the form. When he and this gray-haired woman are in my office, I learn that the gray-haired woman is not his wife or his girlfriend, but his mother. I realize that her being a mother helping her son do just the normal things in life like tie his shoes, tasks she thought were abandoned and ended with her son’s childhood; are now her daily battle.

When I start the interview, I learn that he had a stroke that renders him unable to effectively use the portion of his brain that affects dexterity. After I learned about his medical problem, I listened to his legal problem which was also overwhelming. He no longer works, has no children, no wife and is 48 years old. I learned that bill collectors call him constantly asking for money he does not have. This gentleman owes money for Student Loans that he received years ago, and also has a host of other debts. After racking my brain and consulting with my colleagues, and superiors to find a solution for this gentleman’s problem, I inform him of the solution that we will use to help solve his problem. I feel good knowing that I have helped someone who was in need. But guess what? I never see this client again, he never comes back after the initial consultation. So, I am never able to help him solve his problem. What I am left with is

The Gift and the Curse of Legal Services . . . . .

The Gift is the feeling you get when you help someone. The curse is at times no matter how hard you work you cannot help them all.