Not a know-it-all.

Many people assume that lawyers know everything - or at least everything about the law.  That couldn't be further from the truth.  Nevertheless, at least once a month I get a call from an unsuspecting friend or relative: "I'm getting divorced, can you help me?"  "can my employer fire me over my weight?" "is my son's school allowed to make him cut his hair?" 

The resounding answer is, "I don't know."

All I really know about the law is focused in on the area in which I practice which is mostly actions in Federal Court.  For that reason, I felt more than a little awkward walking into the county courthouse today to file some forms relating to my husband's adoption of my son.  I think the awkwardness was apparent as I walked through security.  After checking my bag, the officer asked me, "do you know where you're going?"

Looking around the big courthouse I answered honestly, "I have no idea." 

"Divorce?" he asked, motioning toward the papers in my hand.

"No!  Adoption."  I answered, kind of insulted.

After some motioning and confusion, I was directed toward a door at the end of a very long hallway.  Upon entering the room, a woman behind the counter greeted me asking, "divorce?"

"No! Adoption."

Apparently, I was in the wrong place.  After going a few more places I finally got to the right place - up three flights of stairs and hidden in a secret passageway behind a bookcase.  There I was asked, "do you have an attorney?"

"I am an attorney," I admitted rather sheepishly.  "I just have no idea what I'm doing."

After adopting the "I'm an idiot attorney" mantra, people were very nice and helpful to me.  After running around like a rat in a maze for an hour, I turned in the last piece of paperwork and set a hearing date.

The exciting news is that if all goes as planned, our adoption will be finalized on Tuesday!!!