First off, this doesn’t apply to my current attorney, Mike Fox.  Mike, please take my word on this!

But if there is one thing that I have grown weary of during my three plus decades as a business owner it is the propensity of attorneys to settle, rather than fight.  By settle, what I mean is that the phone will ring and it will be my attorney calling to say something along the lines of, “Ron, I’ve been back and forth with their attorney and all things considered, why don’t we just write them a check and be done with the whole matter?”  

The first time that this happened I was in my early 20s and my reaction was, “But I’m right! This is nothing short of blackmail!”

And, it was.  However, my attorney would invariably invoke the old bromide, “But it’s going to cost you X dollars in legal fees anyway and don’t forget your time, and don’t forget … ”  

Now all of this may be true. Of course, my time has value and of course lawyers will do what lawyers will do, which is bill you! But nonetheless, writing a check to someone you know is cheating you is probably as upsetting as it gets for any business person.  

Just once, I’d like an attorney to say to me, “You know, I’ve looked this whole matter over and damm it, let’s tussle with this guy. Hell, I’ll even split my fees with you, but you are right and this is wrong and let’s go get his butt!”  

Now I can see all of you attorneys out there shaking your heads and saying, “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”  

And, maybe you’re right.  

But there is expediency and then there is “doing the right thing.”  And I just hate it whenever these two lines cross.