On Location: My Kitchen

If you regularly read my posts, then you know that I often write from "exotic" locations like Barnes and Noble, the Senoia Coffee Shop, and other such places.  Today is no different, as I am here sitting at my newly minted kitchen table I literally just finished.  In those posts, I typically write about how productive you can be getting out of the office, but it would seem as though all I really finish is a cup of coffee and another post!  So let me first mention that in the two hours I have been working at home this morning, much has been accomplished that I have been trying to finalize for some time.  Blogging, while important to me, always takes a back seat to my client's work.  It just so happens that when I'm away from my desk, time magically seems to be on my side.

There is a simple reason why I can get so much done in a different environment.  People actually learn more and focus better when not entirely comfortable.  The level of discomfort can't be huge, but it needs to be enough to let our brains know "hey, something is different.  Better concentrate."  Doing the same thing over and over will lead to laziness, and as the phrase goes, insanity is expecting the same results.  So when you feel a rut coming on, stretch your legs or stay at home for a few hours and feel the rejuvenation come over you.

Being a former educator and musician, I am familiar with this technique.  f you keep students slightly off balance, theyI will stay on their toes.  Even changing from block to 8-period days has some effect on students initially because the style of teaching must be different.  Once the brain knows what is coming, it stops paying attention and you lose sharpness.  If you apply a proper stimulus, like the crowd at a coffee shop or my little girl's toys (which are currently in full noise-making effect), you can focus better because the brain knows to provide more energy to the task at hand.

Miles Davis, known for putting together some of the best small jazz ensembles in history, knew the importance of pushing his musicians.  He understood that if his players were comfortable, they would play the same stuff they were known for, but if uncomfortable, they would create sounds that none had heard before.  While others, such as Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane, made names for themselves as performers, Miles was making everyone around him great, too.  And by making his musicians great, he too excelled in ways not possible without the

I am not comparing myself to great educators of the free world, but the concept is dead on.  When I work from a place that's not my office, I get more done in a small period of time.  This doesn't last very long, of course, because the new eventually becomes the old if you keep doing it.  Sure, if I work from my kitchen table every day, I will eventually stop working in favor of play time with my daughter or a walk with the dogs.  But every now and then, a little change makes a big difference.

JD

John D. Duncan is president of J.D. Duncan, PC, founding partner of Prater, Duncan & Craig, LLC in Newnan, Georgia, and is Esquire by Day.  You can find him at www.jdduncanlaw.com, or follow him on twitter and Facebook.

My Grandfather's Shirt

Today was no profound court drama, nor was it a day full of intense negotiations with insurance companies and opposing counsel.  No, today was just a regular day in the office getting work done.  Except for one small thing:  today I am wearing a shirt that once belonged to my grandfather, C. Dennis Yarborough.  Of course I didn't call him Dennis; my name for him was Pawpaw (and for the record, if I get to choose what to be called when it's my turn, I want to be a pawpaw, too).

Pawpaw was an accountant at Independent Life in Jacksonville for most of my childhood, which meant that business attire was a must.  Once he left the business, he had all these shirts that he no longer needed, so I became the proud owner in shirts like the one pictured above.  Hopefully you can see the slight tattering around the collar and placket, proof that this shirt saw many late nights of loosening the tie for the hard work that lay ahead.  There are similar signs of work around the cuffs, and the bottom front of the shirt is frayed just a bit wear I assume his belt hit.  The shirt's not winning any beauty contests, so it never sees the florescent lights of court.  But I love this shirt for the tale it tells.

We lost Pawpaw early this year, and it's strange to visit Jacksonville and not see him and listen to his jokes and guitar.  There are so many things that we used to do together that I miss, things that I reflect on when I sit on the porch or watch a football game.  Incidentally, he used to take me to University of Florida games back in the late 80s and early 90s, so I'll always be a Gator in his memory.  We hiked in the Smoky Mountains, went canoeing in North Carolina, and played tons of music together.  But then there's this business shirt.

I never really knew Pawpaw's working side.  I may have visited his office once in my lifetime, and all I remember is that everyone knew him and knew me even though we had never met.  He wore suits and ties just like I do now in my practice, but that's really all I get from his professional life.  Now here I am alone in my office with his shirt on, and I can't help but to feel Pawpaw's here with me.  It will always be his shirt; I'm just borrowing it because he doesn't need it right now.

The frays and checks in the shirt tell a story that I don't know, but it is his story.  I may not know what he did in his office all day, but he's here in my office right now thanks to this shirt.  I will always miss Pawpaw and wish I had more time with him.  It seems wearing his clothes has at least allowed me to work alongside him today, and for that I am grateful.

JD

John D. Duncan is president of J.D. Duncan, PC, founding partner of Prater, Duncan & Craig, LLC in Newnan, Georgia, and is Esquire by Day.  You can find him at www.jdduncanlaw.com, or follow him on twitter and Facebook.

"I Should Have Hired You"

Praise in the courtroom makes me think I can do anything!

I was in Coweta County State Court yesterday for a jury trial calendar, where I heard what any attorney loves to hear.  I was sitting in the jury box, where the lawyers always sit, as the judge went through the ten-page calendar to determine which cases would go forward and which cases would end that day.  "Please hold my case, your Honor.  The State and I are still talking," I said when my case was called.  I reclaimed my seat and continued conversation with another attorney as the call continued.

In the two hours I sat in the courtroom, I had a couple of laughing moments with the solicitor handling my client's case o totally unrelated matters, as she pondered what to do with us.  I waited as I witnessed a few unrepresented defendants talk with the solicitor-general, and watched as others waited for their attorneys to arrive.

Finally I got my answer from the State at around 11am.  Case dismissed!  I walked over to my client to relay the good news, and let him know he could leave...he was quite happy.  It was at that moment that I heard music:  "I should have hired you," the man next to my client said.  I simply smiled and went on my way.

Now, I do not know whether this guy had a lawyer that wasn't there, or had decided to go it alone by trying the case himself.  It really doesn't matter, though.  The important point was that he perceived me as a lawyer who was getting it done.  I was, mind you.  Convincing the State to dismiss our case was no easy task.  I always wonder how clients perceive me in the courtroom.  I have to, when my competition includes former DAs, judges, and longtime defense attorneys.  It's nice to hear that I look the part that I am playing.

I take defense seriously.  My clients come to me with serious problems they must deal with, and part of my job should be to keep them calm.  A calm client can think clearly, and when I look the part in court, that calmness is contagious.  I know I do a good job for my clients; I like knowing that others see that as well.

Cheers,

JD

John D. Duncan is president of J.D. Duncan, PC, founding partner of Prater, Duncan & Craig, LLC in Newnan, Georgia, and is Esquire by Day.  You can find him at www.jdduncanlaw.com, or follow him on twitter and Facebook.

What a great day!

Wow, do I love this weather!  It’s been a few weeks since my last entry, and I have really missed writing.  After my trip in early September, I came back with a nasty cold that continues to linger, and I also enjoyed a rather unexpected trip to see my brother at the Food and Wine Festival in Orlando.  Needless to say, getting back into the swing of things has taken some time.

Now that I’m back, I am loving the weather here in Newnan (or Senoia today, more correctly).  I was just released from Senoia Municipal Court and am currently enjoying a coffee and scone from the Senoia Coffee & Cafe’.  I come to Senoia every now and then, but have never been to the coffee shop before.  After watching Rutledge from Top Gear USA drive through a month ago, I had to try it.  Now I’m sitting outside in what must be low 70s, but I’m a terrible judge of temperature.  All I really know is that I’m not sweating through my Dockers.  This is the best way to enjoy today, though, since I can’t put the top down on my car because I’m carrying around refreshments for the Newnan-Coweta Bar Association Dinner tonight.

I am having a blueberry scone, which is delicious, and the house specialty Zombie Dark Roast, named because AMC films The Walking Dead here.  I may have a new favorite.

I suppose some people might say that writing a blog is rather pretentious.  Why would anyone want to read dribble like this, especially from a lawyer?  Well, for today at least, I just would like to share this great morning with someone, and since it’s just me here, you get the invite.  No profound words of wisdom or insightful commentary on something I just experienced; just a good day to be alive.

Best,

JD

John D. Duncan is president of J.D. Duncan, PC, founding partner of Prater, Duncan & Craig, LLC in Newnan, Georgia, and is Esquire by Day.  You can find him at www.jdduncanlaw.com, or follow him on twitter and Facebook.