Why was there a death in the office?

The November 2009 ABA Journal article ” A Death in the Office” by Richard B. Schmitt” provided me with a sobering reality check.  I was struck with sadness after reading about the real life mysterious death of a fellow lawyer who committed suicide in his office.  It was not just the mystery surrounding his death or that he took his own life that struck me, but it was the circumstances surrounding his untimely demise.  Why should a man, such as Mark Levy who was by all accounts gifted, talented and smart end his life because of a job loss.  It appears that Mr. Levy had discussed his plans with no one and that no one knew of  his obvious growing distress and profound sadness.  After reading the article, I prompted my husband a physician to read it.  He also seemed quite shocked after reading the article.  We were both at a loss as to how there could be no place for this man.  Sure, Mr. Levy’s firm may have been changing directions and perhaps could no longer afford to have a Supreme Court power house lawyer on staff – but surely there was somewhere for him to go.  As my husband said, this man had skills that the younger generation could only one day hope to learn.   Do we really view other human beings as matters to be discarded so easily and without a passing thought as to how one will fare. 

 I read in the article how Mr. Levy was viewed as extremely intelligent and skillful, but without the much required ability to cultivate clients and therefore business in the world of  law as we now know it.  It is as we all know —  excellent practitioner skills are not enough.   The article remarked how Mr. Levy provided services for a legal organization that he could have hit on for future work, but that he was content and naive enough to perform the job well and believe that it would be sufficient perhaps to garner him work in the future.  It didn’t.  One must be a rainmaker also.  So let us all take heed that our skills should be impeccable because not only does our noble profession require them to be so,  but ultimately, because we do. Additionally we should act on the nudge that we should always follow up with potential new clients and grow, grow, grow that portable client base. Finally, we should also appreciate our colleague in the office across the hall and keep in touch with them also.

Perhaps, Mr. Levy’s firm could have allowed him the use of his office until he garnered new employment, instead of giving him a firm two weeks deadline for severing all connections to the firm.  I am not writing this to scold his his former employers, but to admonish all of us that in this changing world economy we must all be sensitive to our fellow lawyers.  With law firms downsizing, solo firms closing and the frenzy to find new employment to sustain our out of control lifestyle for bigger and better we are all susceptible to feeling as if the pressure is overwhelming.  I simply pause to salute this fallen lion and mourn the fact that he will roar no more.   I hope that his life and death provide profound lessons for the legal profession – not only how to practice law, but more importantly how we need to live inside our firm and outside of  our practice.