This week, I had the pleasure to have some downtime with some other female attorneys. We got together after a day of work just to enjoy some leisure and one another’s company over a meal. When we started to ask one another about how things were in our relative parts of the world, one of the attorneys asked me about the status of a specific case I was working. I started to relay the whole story of the case and the legal issues to the table when one of the attorneys piped up and reminded me that they had been involved in the case some time ago as opposing counsel (this was prior to my involvement in the case). We were all having such a good time talking and enjoying one another’s company that I had forgotten that this attorney had actually been involved in the matter in which I was talking some time ago. This is not unusual as other attorneys with different specialties may be connected to a case in which you are currently working; as they may have once upon a time represented one or more of the parties.

               What struck me is that the tenor of our discussion did not change nor did our relative moods. This attorney had represented the opposing side at one point but yet was so inviting and kind in their comments about where the litigation was at this point. They were absolutely the most professional in reminding me of their prior involvement while continuing to maintain their duty to their former client. They didn’t become combative with me but were interested in the way the case had turned and able to contribute to the conversation about the interesting legal issues that the case presented. We were technically supposed to be attorneys at odds, but we weren’t. Later on, this same attorney acknowledged my point when I was talking about my philosophy of not being so damn acrimonious with opposing counsel all the time. They agreed with me that it was unnecessary for us to treat one another so poorly just because we represent, or once represented, clients that were at odds.

            Call me crazy, but this is the way that relations between attorneys should be. We can’t be so damn combative all the time. It reminded me that we can be convicted in our positions and be fierce advocates for our clients all the while maintaining our professionalism and quite frankly humanity with other attorneys. This is the way it should be if we are to continue to love what we do and not let it be the death of us. It always feels somewhat exhilarating when you actually hear that you are not the only person who shares a particular philosophy.