2012 is Here and I am Excited!

It's the first workday of 2012: Tuesday, January 3rd. Although I was not very excited about the new year on New Year's Eve, I have had a few days to reflect. As much as 2011 was not a good year in some respects, I have come to terms that it was not all bad. Additionally, I am more excited about the prospects of 2012.

2011 saw me win my only two jury trials. The first victory was in May in a real estate fraud case tried in Harris County District Court. I represented four siblings in their 50s and 60s whose parents had died forty years prior and left the home to the siblings. Fast forward 35 years and the property was stolen through fraudulent real estate records, developed, and sold. The jury punished a mother and son team to the tune of $200,000 for a $10,000 piece of property. It's unlikely my clients will actually see any money, and they didn't want the hassle of getting the property back, but the victory was sweet for all nonetheless.

My second jury trial victory cam in October in a debt collection violation lawsuit in which my firm and my former clients were sued by a debtor for alleged violations of state and federal debt collection laws. The debtor had allegedly settled the debt with the previous owner of the debt, who sold the debt anyway and failed to tell us of the settlement. The jury found in our favor on a bona fide error defense due to our lack of knowledge about the settlement. That case was in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.

2011 was a year of real change for me. In addition to getting used to being a true solo practitioner again, I moved out of my former home, which was wrongfully foreclosed upon (I soon will file litigation regarding that), and into my father/stepmother's home for a few months and then into my own apartment in November, thereby living on my own for the first time ever (at the age of 42)! I am settling into the single, bachelor lifestyle while still maintaining focus on my practice.

I reconnected with my father while living with him, and I am still enjoying our connection because my office is within his company's offices. After ending my marriage of 18 years and my post-marriage relationship of 2 years, I am reconnecting with my family and friends and look forward to more of the same in 2012.

I conclude by setting forth some of my goals for 2012:

1. Read one book a week for a total of 52 in 2012.
2. Travel more, especially to visit family and friends.
3. Pay off all business debt of my firm (all the overhead debt incurred before the great carnage of September 2010).
4. Stay single as long as possible while enjoying dating.
5. Focus on creating and achieving realist business goals.
6. Publish another law review article.
7. Obtain a book deal.
8. Become either a part-time teacher at a local law school or a part-time municipal judge.
9. Be happy and productive!