This coming week I’m attending a conference of the National Network of Estate Planning Attorneys (NNEPA) in Cleveland, Ohio.  I know that many of you might say that the thought of attending a series of seminars for an entire week all about estate planning and tax sounds like as much fun as a box of rocks.  But for me it’s exactly what I want to do.  The NNEPA is the oldest and one of the biggest groups of attorneys dedicated to making sure that all its members are exceeding their clients’ expectations.  That means being on the cutting edge of tax law changes and drafting strategies.

More than that, I’m excited about attending because of a promise that I made to myself.  I said that I would never just do the Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) required by the California Bar.  The California Bar requires that all attorneys complete 25 hours of MCLE every three years.  That’s a little over 8.3 hours a year.  By the end of next week I’ll have done 55 hours for 2009.  Yes, that’s over 6 ½ times what most other attorneys do.

Why do I study so much?  Well it all goes back to the fact that this is my firm.  I’m not just looking to get people in and out so that I can sell them documents and never see them after.  I’m looking to be their personal family lawyer for life.  I study harder because that means when my clients call, I’ll know how best to counsel them.  Frankly it also means that if I can’t answer the question, then at least I’ll know how to get them to the person who can answer it.  In the end, it’s all about exceeding expectations.