As a first year associate at a large firm, I was involved in a case wherein one of the partners of the firm made a mistake. With a lot of work from myself and the partner involved, and a gracious concession from our adversary, the mistake was rectified. I took away a life long lesson from that experience; I never begrudge another attorney for making a mistake because the next mistake may be mine. Last week it was.   All legal filings for divorce cases are done manually in or...

Anyone who knows me knows I love to travel. One of my favorite aspects about travelling is learning about a different culture. I love eating where the “locals” eat, going into their supermarkets, and pharmacies all to see beyond what tourists normally see. I especially love being able to bring home a piece of another lifestyle. Usually, it’s their food.   For example, while in Alaska, I learned and tasted the difference between wild salmon and farmed salmon. As a result, I...

Mitch’s blog this week really resonated with me. He wrote about how it’s no longer the American way to be considerate of others. My own observations have taken his comments one step further, we do not even acknowledge one another anymore.   My children have often remarked that I talk to everyone. And I do. I’ll strike up conversations with bank tellers, check out people at the supermarket, people in elevators, etc. Most people are initially skeptical when I first engage the...

I realized something about myself this week, I am squeamish. My stepson’s girlfriend recently severely cut her hand, requiring a trip to the hospital and numerous stitches. She was telling my husband and myself about her injury and offered to show pictures of the wound, stitches etc. to both of us.   My husband was very interested in the pictures and looked at them with her. They were both fascinated with them, looking at the wound from different angles. My stepson and I cou...

  I spent all of last week in Family Court engaged in a particularly difficult custody trial. As the name implies, Family Court involves family disputes, custody, child support, and neglect and abuse proceedings. Most proceedings in Family Court-other than adoptions-are generally emotional gut wrenching cases.     During a break in my trial, I was sitting in the hallway working on testimony. I paused to look up for a moment and, sitting across from me I saw a woman crying....

With everything that was going on in the news last week, I thought I'd use my blog to relay an act of kindness that I experienced.   I was on the train going into New York City last week when I first noticed it, I didn’t have a pen. I can blame the new handbag that I was carrying but that’s a blog for another day. I politely asked the person sitting next to me whether she had a pen that I could borrow. After searching her handbag-which was twice the size of mine-she realize...

  This is a blog that I have been waiting over a year to write. A little more than a year ago, I decided that it would be best for me to terminate my law partnership, sell the office condominium that my partner and I own, and reset my career path. At that time, I was uncertain as to how that new career path would look.     What astounded me most during this past year of decision making and change was the tremendous support I received from so many Gotham members. There were ...

  We had an interesting- and long-conversation over dinner last night. My stepson, who is in his third year of law school but already has a job offer from a large, prestigious New York law firm, was contemplating getting a new credit card. He was torn between three options, one that would give him hotel points, one card associated with an airline that would give him flight miles as well as a free checked bag on every flight, or one that gave him cash back. It was a long and i...

  We spent Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia. My cousin’s daughter was married Sunday night so we spent the weekend with family. No better way to spend Labor Day weekend!!     A few weeks ago, I received a small package in the mail from the bride. In the package was a pen and a small note. On the note she wrote, “All my life I grew up seeing your parents’ signatures on my parents’ Ketubah [Jewish marriage contract]. Please do me the honor of continuing the tradition and sig...

  This blog is about coffee. And, perhaps, a bit about tea. Although, for me that’s a nighttime beverage. In this blog, I’m wondering how people get their early morning beverage.     I’m a Keurig user. With a simple press of a button, I get my morning coffee within moments. If I have to be in court or at an early Gotham meeting, I brew it into a disposable coffee cup. If I’m going to the office it goes into my reusable hot cup.     I generally buy my k-cups at Costco. I...