Giving Back… the Ultimate Investment

Recently, I was invited by Dr. Sheryl Gee with Leadership Matters and The Voice America Business host, Jenni Frumer, along with Neil Newstein to discuss the benefits of “volunteering in your community”. Neil Newstein is CEO of Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family & Children’s Services and Levine Jewish Residential Services here in Palm Beach County (AJFCS).

Currently, I devote a significant portion of my volunteer hours to AJFCS helping people in my community. When I first started, I had no idea what an impact this would have on my professional life as an attorney, and on my private life. “Doing good” in my community was my prime motivator, but my volunteer hours have been returned 10-fold in making contacts and promoting benevolence. I am thankful that my eyes have been opened to the world of volunteering and the mutually satisfying effort it has been. Volunteering with AJFCS has also allowed me to see what social workers deal with on a daily basis. Sometimes in my practice I have to work closely with them and serving voluntarily alongside has enlightened my perspective. Here are just some of the paybacks that I have enjoyed:

• Making a difference for someone
• Finding purpose outside of myself
• Enjoying a meaningful conversation
• Connecting with my community
• Feeling involved in something special
• Contributing to a cause that I care about
• Using my skills in a productive way
• Developing some new skills
• Meeting new people
• Exploring new areas of interest
• Meeting good people
• Expanding my horizons

My law practice involves families, persons in need of guardianships and their loved ones, estate and trust planning, including planning for families with special needs kids, wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases, all aspects of elder law, medicaid planning, real estate transactions and helping business clients with a variety of problems. Typically potential clients arrive at my office in a crisis. A loved one has passed away, a parent or other relative can’t manage affairs or there is a need to create a will or trust. I pride myself on working with them for a solution not only for today but also for tomorrow.

Lawyers shouldn’t approach law like a technician trying to solve a problem. We must look at the whole family, problem and solution. Spending my time volunteering has allowed me to think ahead about problems my clients may face down the road and that has afforded me insight for their future. And in the end isn’t our desire is for them to live a happy, healthy, fulfilled life? What about you? Have you thought about giving back through volunteering? I would love to talk further about this concept if you have questions or need some guidance. Let’s make this world a better place … together.