It was, really, all good things

It’s hard to leave a job that has meant so much to me, but these things happen sometimes, and so this will be my final issue as the editor-in-chief of South Carolina Lawyers Weekly. I’ve worked for this newspaper for more than ten years, including almost four as editor, and I feel incredibly blessed to have been able to do this for so long. Journalistic tradition dictates that I write a farewell column to impart the wisdom I’ve gained in my time here, but having no real wisdom to impart, I’d just like to say this:

Thank you.

Thank you to all of our subscribers, because in the end you are the ones who allowed me to do this exciting work for so long. When I took over as editor I added to our masthead a new mission statement, one that I borrowed word-for-word from one of my mentors. It says that our job is to help you practice law better, more efficiently, and more profitably. I hope we’ve been able to do that for you and your firm.

Our work is animated by the belief that the law is a noble profession. Clients typically come to lawyers because they have a problem. Oftentimes it may be one of the most difficult problems they’ve had to deal with in a long time, and they need a lawyer to help them navigate that problem as best they can. By helping you to provide your clients with the best counsel possible, hopefully we’re also able to help them as they work through whatever challenges brought them into your offices, and in doing so provide a valuable service to a great many people.

What made the work even better was that I had a good time doing it. Writing and editing Lawyers Weekly has always been interesting because every week has always brought something fresh and new to write about, and it’s allowed me to learn about and come to appreciate so many different areas of the law. That’s one of the many things I will miss greatly about this job.

If I do have any advice to offer, it would really just be two things. First, take good care of yourself, physically, mentally, and emotionally. It will in the long run make you a better lawyer, but far more importantly it will also make you a happier person. Second, when you see opportunities to offer kindness to other people in our profession—from opposing counsel to support staff to court officials—take those opportunities as often as you can.

In short, be good to yourself, and to one another.

I’m very happy to say that I’m not leaving the legal profession, and I’ve accepted a position with McGuireWoods. I’m very excited about this new opportunity, and I hope that it will allow me to continue to cross paths with many of the people I’ve gotten to know during my time at Lawyers Weekly. I’ve always maintained that this is a community newspaper, and you are the members of the community that we serve. So while I’m leaving the paper, I’m not leaving that community.

There are so many people who have helped me during my time at Lawyers Weekly, more than I could possibly thank here, but I am grateful for all of them, both the ones who have moved on to other things and the ones who are still here. I know that I’m leaving this newspaper in very capable hands. I hope you continue to enjoy reading South Carolina Lawyers Weekly. I know I will.