In today's world with everyone having distress and anxiety, I think nothing shows the practice of law in a more favorable light than what I am seeing law firm owners and their employees doing to help each other as well as those in need outside the firm.

Quietly, without asking for publicity or marketing responses, law firms I know are reaching out to help by making sure that all costs are cut before staff are cut. They are providing support to each other. They are taking on more and more charitable efforts to help others. They are collecting food for the food banks. They are sponsoring solidiers who are in a war zone with monthly boxes. They are helping people without request for compensation when the legal need is dire and there is no hope of recompense from the client.

I have always believed that marketing on a shoe string starts first with a philosophy that you must give back a little of what you take from a community. In other words what goes around comes around.

I am sure there are other professions that are likewise trying to do more for those who have less. What I love about what I am seeing with the law firm owners I talk to is the geninue desire to be of service even if it is not through the delivery of legal services. The basic rule seems to be "How can I help?". Perhaps this is why they went to law school to begin with.