Disaster vs. Divorce

On October 24, 2010, a tornado ripped through the tiny town of Rice, Texas, destroying homes and overturning vehicles.  My sweet friend, Lona Smith, lost her home, her car, and one of her horses.  The only thing left standing in her house was the tiny stairwell under which she huddled as the storm raged overhead.  In less than a minute, her home was razed; her life as she had known it was torn apart; nothing will ever be exactly the same.  Look at the YouTube videos of the Rice, Texas tornado for some visuals.

Bob and I joined several of Lona’s friends in Rice on Wednesday to help her as she began to literally pick up the pieces of her shattered home.  When we pulled up and saw the devastation, we were overwhelmed with the enormity of the task ahead.  Throughout the day, we would stop, regroup and find a specific task we could undertake and complete.  No matter how small the task, each one was a step toward rebuilding the future.  Lona was incredible – thankful to be alive; already thinking of ways she can improve when she rebuilds.  We were all humbled and inspired by her attitude.

Driving back to Fort Worth, I was hit with the thought that divorce is like a tornado; it rips through your heart and home and leaves a trail of rubble in its wake.  The best divorce lawyer will walk with you through the process and eventually help you come out on the other side.

The attorneys and staff at the Bob Leonard Law Group (www.bobleonard.com)  know what you are going through.  We will help you assess the damage, review your options with you and support your efforts to create a new life.  Our goal is to work with you to begin the task of putting the pieces of your life back in order and create normalcy from chaos so that you can rebuild for your future; better than ever.

Syd’s Law of the Week: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  -- Psalm 118:24

Technology vs. Talent

Just when you think you have learned everything, something comes along and shows you that you have learned nothing . . . Enter blogging.  My friends, colleagues, and, yes, even my children have extolled the virtues of the Internet.  I have been dragged into the 21st Century kicking and screaming.  I am finally "On-line Chattable", "Instant Messageable", "Facebook Friendly", "Spell-check Dependent", and joined at the hip with my iPhone.  I have a micro-laptop, a desktop-laptop, on-board navigator, hands free phone and Onstar for highway emergencies.  Yesterday I was techno-savvy and today I am just a Beginning Blogger.

With all of the technology available today, law firms have incredible tools at their disposal.  We have research tools and programs to store our files.  We have the ability to enter information into a form and have a pleading pop out on the printer.  We can keep our data "in the clouds" so that we never lose a file or document.  In my office (http://www.bobleonard.com/)  we have all these things and more.  If there is a new gadget or tool to help us provide better service to our clients, we have it.

The advances in technology are amazing and awesome.  Does technology give us better lawyers or does it simply allow anyone who can read and type to be able to practice law?  Law is a noble profession, lawyer jokes aside.  A lawyer is an attorney and counselor.  We hire attorneys to be our advocates; to give us advice and to hold our hands during difficult times.  We want our lawyers to have big brains and big hearts; we don't really care about big hard drives.

Syd's Law of the Week:  Unplug the telephone, shut down the computer and THINK about your cases and your clients.