Two-Year Warning

I have an important announcement to make. I am retiring from the practice of law…in about two years. In June of 2022, it is my intention to complete a pivot from the practice of law at Murphy & Garner, LLC to become a “full-time” mediator. I still love the law and plan to continue as a mediator at Peace Like a River Mediation Services for many years to come. I have now been practicing law for 37 years, and I have been a mediator for 21 of those years. My busy law practice has prevented me from growing my mediation practice because I just have never been able to get around those limiting factors of there only being 24 hours in the day and seven days in a week (with one of those days being reserved for rest and worship). In your 60s, they say you are supposed to slow down. I have been gradually adding in more “somedays” to my calendar for a while, but when you add something, you must necessarily subtract something else. However, slow down does not mean stop! No, this is not your traditional concept of retirement. This period is just the prelude to the beginning my encore career as a mediator.

Consider this the two-year warning, kind of like the two-minute warning in football. So, if there is a two-year warning, that means it is just about time to begin the two-year drill. With proper clock and calendar management, I plan to maximize my time. I will very selective on the cases I take. I will be able to spend extra time working up the cases I do choose to handle. I will refer the cases I do not take to other very capable attorneys in the area. I will be able gradually increase the mediations I do in the meantime. And I will be able to travel to Durham with Terri to visit my grandson more often, and once we vanquish COVID-19, we can go to Dubai to visit my son and his wife. Oh yeah, I will likely start using that National Parks Pass, after I turn 62 in October. There will definitely be more hiking and photography (hikeography) in my future....along with more writing.

So, I am just about to break the huddle and begin the most exciting two years of my law practice. Don’t worry, there will be no hurry or panic. We’ve done this before…many, many times. There is an “old pro” calling and executing the plays. Stay tuned – you will not want to miss the end of this game.