Ostriches Don't Hide, and Neither Should Lawyers

We’ve all heard the saying: "Burying your head in the sand."

Turns out, the saying is rooted in an ancient myth about ostriches. Since Roman times, people have believed that when an ostrich gets scared, it sticks its head in the sand, hoping to avoid danger.

It’s a captivating image… until of course, you realize it’s completely false.

Ostriches, in fact, don’t bury their heads in the ground. They may dip their heads low to the earth while feeding or rotating their eggs in nests, which can create the illusion of hiding. But the reality? Ostriches are pretty brave animals.

This myth though still has staying power in our language today, symbolizing the human tendency to avoid difficult situations.

And as lawyers, we often see this in action, though not in the form of sand and a large bird. Instead, we see it in the courtroom and legal offices. The tendency to avoid conflict, push aside uncomfortable truths, and hope that problems will simply fade away without any action taken.

But the truth is it doesn’t make them go away, it just makes them worse. Failing to confront difficult issues head-on, whether it’s a tough client conversation, an uncomfortable legal precedent, or a looming case deadline, often results in more stress, more complications, and bigger problems down the line.

Wayne Gerard Trotman actually said it pretty well here - "Burying your head in the sand does not make you invisible; it only leads to suffocation."

As lawyers, we’re trained to face conflict and navigate through it. We may not be able to make everything perfect, but we can handle the challenges with foresight and preparation. It’s those who face difficult truths, no matter how unpleasant, that succeed in the end.

So, let’s leave the “head in the sand” routine to the ostriches (theoretically). In the world of law, ignoring problems doesn’t solve them. It only buries you deeper.

Let’s face things head-on, and we’ll find a way through.