Twenty Years on Siskiyou Boulevard

It recently occurred to me that of the 22 years I’ve been practicing law, the last 20 have been right here on Siskiyou Boulevard. In 1995 I started as an associate with the Howser & Munsell firm at 607 Siskiyou Blvd. Then in 2002 I moved across the street to 622 Siskiyou Blvd. and “hung my own shingle” as a solo practitioner. In 2011, I moved further down the street to 823 Siskiyou Blvd., next to the Ashland High School, where I currently practice.

Although I’ve spent the majority of my legal career spanning the narrow range of the 600 and 800 blocks of Siskiyou Boulevard, I feel like I’ve seen the entire world.

I have seen the world through my clients. Each time I meet with a client I get a window into another person’s life. I have heard countless stories of success, tragedy, disappointment, hope, sadness and grief.

I’ve seen the full gamut of marriages gone bad, and all of the varied reasons as to why. I’ve heard of dreams being shattered through business deals gone bad. I’ve seen personal tragedy turn people’s lives upside down. I’ve seen family relationships implode fighting over mom and dad’s estate.

I’ve also (thank goodness) witnessed the happy stuff: new marriages, new families, new business ventures. I’ve been amazed at the individual success of many as they pursue their dreams, and plan for the future.

The good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful. I see it all.

When I remark that I am a lawyer, especially a divorce lawyer, the most common response is, “Wow, that must be a hard job. I couldn’t deal with all that fighting, all that conflict and sadness. I’d get so overwhelmed”

It’s true. I do see a lot of conflict and a lot of sadness in my practice. But, representing a client in a divorce case, or a fight over a will or any hard case – is much different than being the client. People hire lawyers because they have complicated legal issues that they don’t have the expertise to figure out themselves. Also, even in simple legal cases, a person can be too emotionally invested and distraught to see a rational solution to their problem.

While I empathize with my clients, I do not get overwhelmed by their legal issues. As a third-party viewing the case from a little bit of a distance, I am in a good position to be able to think through a case rationally, and to use my legal expertise and experience to successfully resolve a client’s case.  

So . . . Come on over here to Siskiyou Boulevard and offload your legal issue. We are ready to handle it!

Robert (Bob) Good has practiced law in Jackson County for 22 years, specializing in family law, estate planning and administration and business law. Contact him at his Ashland office at (541) 482-3763.