Thirty Five Years in Practice!

May 10th will be the anniversary of my 35 years as a lawyer.
It’s been a wild ride, and I couldn’t have imagined at the start it would be as interesting, successful, or fulfilling as it has been. And it’s not over yet!

A lot of lawyers write on LinkedIn about how wonderful they are. I hate that. The attorneys who resonate with me - and probably with you - are open, honest, and human. Human beings, flawed as we are, make pretty good lawyers - because our clients are also human beings. And so are defense attorneys, insurance adjusters, and just about everyone we come into contact with during the course of an injury or workers’ compensation case.

My ability to be a real person and put myself in others’ shoes is my superpower. It may not look like much on a resume, but it’s gotten me, and my clients, pretty far.

In the Beginning

My early days working in law firms weren’t exactly the thrilling stuff TV legal dramas are made of. I once worked for an attorney who had me book his golf tee times and stand in line for concert tickets, along with making deliveries all across the Chicago Loop. I worked for another guy who had an industrial time clock with punch cards installed so that he could keep track of the punctuality of the lawyers working there.

But I kept at it. And I learned a lot just by doing things over and over. I also figured out that personal injury and workers’ compensation were my favorite areas of law. Why? Because they involved people. Injured people. And negotiation. I got to go to court. It was perfect for me, yet it hadn’t even been on my radar in law school.

On My Own (Part I)

In retrospect, it’s easy to see the lure of becoming a sole practitioner. At least then, if the boss was unreasonable or demanding, I’d have no one to blame but myself.

My first stint in solo practice was from 1996 to 2002. Those early days were a lot like trying to fly a plane while I was still building it. I got some decent cases, but with a new family to support, the unpredictable cash flow of a solo law practice was stressful. Personal injury attorneys like me only get a fee if we win at trial or settle a case, and we have to foot the bill for all case costs up front.

I loved being my own boss and taking on the clients I knew I could help most, but running a business was running me ragged. I decided to take a break and pivot to a more relaxing job with a steadier paycheck - teaching.

And Now, For Something Completely Different

For five years, from 2002 until 2007, I became a school teacher. I first taught high school at the “Hoop Dreams” school, and then 7th and 8th grade at another school. I’m not sure how much I taught the kids, but those years taught me three things:

• I work better in an environment that offers air conditioning, windows with screens, and the ability to go to the washroom when I want to.
• Public school teachers are gifted professionals who deserve undying gratitude from the rest of us, and
• I missed legal work and getting to help people who had been hurt.

I’m grateful for my time in the hallowed halls of the Chicago public school system, especially since it showed me where I really belong.

On My Own (Part II)

I returned to private practice in 2007, and I’ve been a solo attorney ever since. I’ll be candid: the practice was not lucrative right away. In fact, the first two years I lost tens of thousands of dollars despite bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars in case fees.

But I kept working, building relationships, working cases, helping clients. Getting to see the look on people’s faces when they realized I had gotten them the money they needed to get back on their feet. And I built something - something my father lived long enough to see, which made me almost as proud as when I hosted him at two 2016 Cubs World Series games.

Without the support of my amazing wife, Beth, this wouldn’t have been possible. My many lawyer friends who have supported me, trusted me enough to refer clients to me, and let me bounce ideas off them, also helped make my practice successful. My dog, Skye, her departed “sister,” Islay, and our found cat, Wilson, have made the days I work from home more fulfilling (and often a bit loud - usually during calls and Zoom conferences, of course).

I wouldn’t have it any other way! Here’s to many more years.

Takeaways

• Being a personal injury lawyer isn’t easy, but it’s worth it
• It took a while for me to find my voice as a lawyer
• Sometimes a detour confirms you were on the right path in the first place
• My family, friends, and of course, my clients, have made my years in practice not just possible, but worthwhile

Contact Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Stephen Hoffman

My clients today get something my original clients couldn’t: an attorney with decades of experience in personal injury and workers’ compensation law. If you have been hurt in an incident involving personal injury, auto crashes, dog bites or injuries, workers’ compensation, medical malpractice, or other injury and potential liability, get medical treatment immediately, report the injury to the appropriate authorities and your own insurance company, and contact a lawyer with expertise in your type of case, such as bicycle accidents or pedestrians hit by cars.

If you've been in an accident and have questions, contact Chicago personal injury attorney Stephen L. Hoffman for a free consultation at (773) 944-9737. Stephen has 35 years of legal experience and has collected millions of dollars for his clients. He is listed as a SuperLawyer, has a 10.0 rating on Avvo, and is BBB A+ accredited. He is also an Executive Level Member of the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce.

Stephen handles personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay anything up front; and he only gets paid if you do. Don’t wait another day, contact Stephen now.