I am moved by this article from The Seattle Times and reminded of Dylan Thomas's poem "Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night" to which you can listen here.
The client complained that the older lawyer wasn't paying attention to the case — that he didn't file court papers in time, open mail or return phone calls.
The state bar association asked the lawyer to respond. When he didn't, a face-to-face meeting was set up. But the confused lawyer got lost and had to be helped to the appointment. He showed up wearing an old suit and graying T-shirt.
The balance between honoring older members of the profession and insuring that clients are adequately served will be requiring more and more attention.
The so-called "Graying of the Bar" — officially under way this year as the first wave of baby boomers turns 60 — is fueling concern that incompetence due to declining skills, failure to keep pace or dwindling mental acuity may soon rise in the legal profession. It's a highly sensitive issue in a profession that traditionally honors its elders for long careers.
The head beneath the grey hair often holds much wisdom; perhaps the aging heart represents the glue in a firm's culture and values. I hope we will appreciate what greying lawyers have to give, no matter what form those gifts may take.
One of Seattle's most respected attorneys, Fred Betts, finally tried his last case at age 85, recognizing that he could no longer give it his best. Even so, Betts came to the office nearly every day until just a year before he died at 94 in 2002.
The firm protected itself and watched out for Betts by occasionally having other attorneys review his work, said senior partner John Braislin. "If you want to talk about fading into the sunset, that's basically what he was able to do."
However, as tradition holds, Betts' name is still on the law firm's door.
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