Starting Over from Scratch

by Jody L. Peskin
peskinhoalaw.com

My father was a merchant with a small chain of clothing stores in little towns across north Georgia. He made a good living selling work boots and overalls as we four kids grew up, each of us graduating from a local private school and heading off to college. But though we went off to summer camp yearly, there were rarely family vacations. Those few family trips that did occur involved packing up the car and driving 12 hours to visit the grandparents in Florida. My father rarely had time to take off or travel, unless it was business related. He and my mother did go on occasional buying trips to New York, and they’d go to the big annual Shoe Show at the Houston Astrodome. Even then, I recall my father always having to be near a phone (no cells back then) and check each store for the day’s receipts, handle any unexpected situations via phone, and pray a lot that there were no fires, robberies, or burst pipes to ruin the merchandise. He also knew that how he managed the business would affect all those employees who worked for him. It was a great responsibility.

It was never my dream to own my own business. I may have considered the notion of “partnership” in a law firm after years of proving my worth – but based on my entry into the law, it wasn’t a major life goal. Many of you know my first legal position out of law school was as a law clerk to the Honorable Curtis V. Tillman. He was a wonderful mentor and I have always been proud to have called him friend. After he retired, I was incredibly fortunate that the newly appointed guy asked me to stay on. I had a fabulous six years working with Judge Hancock, debating issues at law and playing devil’s advocate to make sure all sides of an issue were considered! Then I went to the Fulton Solicitor’s office, again learning many new skills, litigating and handling appeals, but still working in the public sector without any thought or concern about from where the next paycheck would come.

Things changed somewhat when I went to my first legal position in the private sector (very shortly after the Brian Nichols fiasco in Fulton County). It was a smaller firm and even the associates were more involved in the day-to-day management issues, (though of course, we didn’t have a vote in any final decisions). Again, I had a vested interest in making sure new clients came to the firm, but I never really had to consider whether I would be paid on a regularly scheduled payday.

But suddenly, the world is a different place. I left the comfort and certainty of a stable workplace, and dived right in to the insanity of starting my own practice. What on EARTH was I thinking! It was never my goal, never my dream – where would the money come from? Would clients appear on my doorstep? How would I pay my bills, or feed the dog? And then an amazing thing happened. I told just a few friends and colleagues I was on my own. In small little ripples at first, then more and more – the calls and emails started coming in. Friends and colleagues, some from the same and some from different types of practices, offered to help, advise, share their own experiences, and even offered to send clients my way! I was given checklists of what I had to do to set up shop. I was provided with everything from whom to call at the State Bar’s library where they have a nice collection of information on starting and running a successful law practice, to the names of malpractice brokers (and what the costs should be).

I was swept up in a wave of warmth and compassion, of fellow attorneys who’ve been there before, all wanting to watch me succeed and enjoy the profession we share. I am brought close to tears by the outpouring of concern and the encouragement that has come my way, including from those judges I have gotten to know over the years. It doesn’t matter why I went out on my own, each one of us has our own reasons. Some of us do it out of necessity, some because being their own boss has always been the dream. Either way, I am taking full advantage as your DeKalb Bar News editor, whether a proper use of this forum or not, to say thank you. For all of you who have volunteered information, space, a temporary desk, kind words – in a profession known for its competitiveness and often acrimonious relationships towards one another – thank you. There is absolutely no bar like our very own DeKalb Bar. You truly are the best and I am so proud to be a part of it! For those of you who wish to contact me, I can now be reached at jpeskin@peskinhoalaw.com, or at 315 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur, GA 30030, or 404-603-6038. Hope to be hearing from all of you soon!