Many years ago, I was having my teeth cleaned at the dentist's office. After the hygentist had completed the cleaning, my dentist walked in to inspect her handywork. He asked me how often I flossed. I responded something to the effect of "every once in a while". I went on to complain that flossing took too long to do every day. He told me that he had a solution that would make flossing quicker. He told me to just floss the teeth that I wanted to keep. The teeth that I didn't care about I could skip flossing. I've been flossing every since.
     What does that story have to do with a law firm? Just this. That same philosophy can be applied to your rights. To your right to the custody of, or visitation with, your kids. To your right to keep your mouth shut in a criminal case. To your right to be compensated when someone else's negligence has injured you or your loved ones. To your right to fair and equal access to our Courts. Because if you ignore your rights, if you neglect your rights, you're going to lose them. Forever. Just like your teeth.
      For almost 20 years our firm has been protecting our client's families, their freedoms and their futures. How? By making sure that their rights are protected. By standing tall, side-by-side with them in battles large and small. We recognize that when you're in the middle of a bitter custody battle, when you're fighting for your freedom, or when you've sued or  been sued, it's a war. And you've heard the saying "never bring a knife to a gun fight."
     Our firm has gone up against, and beat, one of the largest law firms in Grand Rapids. Our firm has gone up against, and beat, one of the largest law firms in Detroit. Our firm has gone up against, and beat, one of the largest law firms in the State of Michigan. How? Tenacity. Persistence. A refusal to back down. A refusal to quit or give up or give in. A passion for the rights of our clients. We take our client's battles personally. They become our battles. 
     I've had prospective clients mention who the lawyer on the other side is and ask if I'm worried about them. That question always makes me think back to the summer of 1982. I was at boot camp in the Marine Corps. My Platoon Sgt. was Gunnery Sgt. Radcliff...a 2-tour Vietnam veteran who had a long scar down his forehead from a bayonette (or so he said...but who was going to ask him to prove it?) I remember being 17-years-old and standing at attention at 4:00 in the morning with Gunney Radcliff screaming at the entire platoon. THAT was scary. But Gunney Radcliff had a passion for what he was doing. He was making Marines. (Either that, or he was a very, very mean man.)
     To say that I haven't been scared since boot camp would be a lie. I remember as a new firefighter going to my first large fire. I was so scared when the ladder truck pulled up to the scene that I couldn't find the door handle on the truck to get out.
     But, no...no lawyer has ever scared me. Here's the secret...just because you put a suit and tie on in the morning, you don't suddenly become the smartest guy in the room. Or the toughest. It's a suit for God's sake...not a cape (or a Marine Corps uniform).
     So the next time you're in a legal battle, regardless of who started it, give me a call. Together, we'll make Gunney Radcliff proud.