I recently came across a tweet by Davidson County District Attorney General Glenn Funk. It was a video of the swearing-in of a new Assistant District Attorney by Judge Smith who is a criminal court judge here in Nashville, TN. Before the swearing-in, Judge Smith gave three suggestions to the new Assistant District Attorney.
Three Tips for Attorneys
- Seek out mentors… Don’t fly blind.
- Get involved.
- Take care of yourself.
The three suggestions are powerful for all lawyers. First, no lawyer knows all the answers. They just think they do. Build a strong support system to talk about issues. It is important to have people you can talk with about cases and problems you face. Second, one should get involved in a group in the legal community. Judge Smith recommended LAW, which is a fine group. For me, I choose the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Finally , take care of yourself. This is the most important. Being a lawyer is an extremely stressful job. I know that I didn’t exercise and was overweight. Right now wellness groups are very popular in various bar associations.
I wish Davidson County’s newest Assistant District Attorney the best of luck and a long career!
What great words from @JudgeCrimDivIV Jennifer Smith during the swearing-in today for the @DavidsonCoDA newest ADA, Chicoya Gallman! ✨ See how Judge Smith’s “3 suggestions” can help YOU, as well! ✨ See the full video on our FB page! #leadership #servingNashville #words4life pic.twitter.com/bZVeAY5tcK
— District Attorney (@DavidsonCoDA) August 4, 2020