Well, for those of you who haven’t heard already, I successfully passed the February 2010 Wisconsin Bar Exam, and have been certified eligible for admission to the practice of law in Wisconsin. The good news is that I passed. The worrying news is that I have to go find a job, preferably one in my chosen profession. With this in mind, I am planning on opening shop in my home town of Edgerton, Wisconsin. This seemed like a good idea about a year ago, when there was little competition, but now there are at least three other firms located in this city with a total population of under 5,000.
While these figures are worrisome, I have been bombarded with questions from friends, family, and acquaintances since my graduation from law school. Soon, I can replace “I’m not a lawyer yet” with an actual opinion that might actually provide guidance on the matters I am quizzed about. I think if I can turn even a fraction of these people into actual clients, I might be able to make a go of it anyway.
Part of the reason for my interest in hanging my shingle in Edgerton is that I am heavily invested in the community. I bought a house in downtown last year, and my great-grandfather bought a farm right outside of the same town a century ago this year. My family lives there and operates the farm to this day. I grew up here as did generations before me. As many friends as I have made in Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago, I came back to discover that I still had plenty of friends in my home town. I have enjoyed every city I have lived in, however I think I would rather raise a family and build a practice in the only one I’ve ever really considered home.
With that in mind, it’s good to be home.