Lawyers
often
deal
with
acrimonious
matters
that
involve
opposing
sides
who
have
disdain
for
each
other.
Sometimes,
clients
may
want
their
lawyers
to
have
a
negative
relationship
with
their
adversaries
since
opposing
counsel
represents
a
party
that
a
client
may
not
like,
and
a
client
may
see
an
opposing
party’s
lawyer
as
an
extension
of
the
other
party.
However,
maintaining
good
relationships
with
opposing
counsel
is
important
to
reaching
solid
outcomes
to
legal
matters,
and
a
client
should
not
mind
if
their
lawyer
has
a
solid
relationship
with
the
attorney
from
another
party
to
a
case.
I
have
always
tried
to
maintain
solid
ties
with
adversaries.
Connections
with
opposing
counsel
have
only
broken
down
in
a
few
instances
in
my
career,
and
this
was
almost
entirely
due
to
the
actions
of
an
adversary.
Even
in
such
instances,
I
have
always
tried
to
mend
the
relationship
whenever
possible,
since
I
understand
the
benefits
that
can
be
realized
by
having
a
solid
connection
with
other
lawyers
to
a
matter.
However,
some
lawyers
fear
having
solid
ties
to
opposing
counsel
since
this
might
impact
the
perceptions
of
clients.
For
instance,
earlier
in
my
career,
I
handled
numerous
cases
related
to
a
given
mass
tort,
and
I
regularly
traveled
for
work
with
other
lawyers
who
were
also
involved
in
the
same
mass
tort
matter.
I
usually
organized
dinners
and
other
social
outings
for
the
lawyers
who
were
on
the
road,
since
it
was
lonely
to
be
away
from
home,
and
traveling
was
more
fun
when
the
lawyers
got
together
after
work
hours.
On
numerous
occasions,
I
invited
opposing
counsel
to
such
dinners,
and
this
added
to
the
fun
of
those
nights.
It
was
interesting
going
head-to-head
with
opposing
counsel
at
depositions
and
then
relaxing
at
dinner
and
other
social
occasions
during
the
nights
we
were
away
from
home.
Often,
I
took
a
group
picture
of
the
people
who
got
together
as
such
dinners.
During
one
such
group
dinner,
a
lawyer
from
a
different
geographic
area
than
mine,
and
who
I
did
not
interact
with
much,
refused
to
be
in
the
picture
since
he
worried
he
might
get
in
trouble
if
the
client
saw
him
at
dinner
with
opposing
counsel.
This
struck
me
as
somewhat
strange.
Not
only
was
it
unlikely
that
a
client
would
see
a
given
picture
with
opposing
counsel
(although
this
is
not
outside
the
realm
of
possibility
given
the
social
media
contacts
clients
have
with
attorneys)
but
clients
should
appreciate
that
a
lawyer
is
trying
to
connect
with
opposing
counsel.
This
position
definitely
added
some
conflict
to
our
night
out,
and
being
in
the
same
picture
with
opposing
counsel
should
be
a
nonissue.
Another
time
in
my
career,
I
handled
a
bitter
dispute
between
family
members
who
absolutely
hated
each
other.
My
client
said
numerous
negative
things
about
another
party
to
the
case,
and
I
got
the
sense
that
my
client
wanted
me
to
join
in
and
bash
the
opposing
party.
My
client’s
ire
was
also
directed
to
this
other
party’s
lawyer,
likely
because
my
client
viewed
opposing
counsel
as
an
extension
of
the
other
party
to
the
case
who
my
client
detested.
This
client
said
a
number
of
bad
things
about
opposing
counsel,
including
his
competency
and
even
how
he
looked.
I
got
the
sense
that
my
client
wanted
me
to
join
in
with
the
negative
remarks
in
order
to
solidify
my
client’s
position.
However,
I
did
not.
I
told
my
client
that
opposing
counsel
is
a
good
guy
and
a
talented
lawyer.
I
politely
advised
that
opposing
counsel
was
just
doing
his
job,
and
representing
this
other
party
to
the
case
was
not
an
endorsement
of
what
the
opposing
party
had
done.
Even
though
my
client
was
not
really
satisfied
with
my
response,
I
am
happy
that
I
did
not
add
to
the
cycle
of
negative
energy
that
infected
that
matter.
In
any
event,
clients
should
not
mind
if
their
lawyers
have
solid
relationships
with
opposing
counsel
since
this
can
make
it
easier
for
lawyers
to
obtain
favorable
results.
Lawyers
shouldn’t
feel
pressured
to
show
animosity
toward
opposing
counsel
simply
because
a
client
has
a
negative
perception
of
a
lawyer
because
of
who
they
represent.
Jordan
Rothman
is
a
partner
of
The
Rothman
Law
Firm,
a
full-service
New
York
and
New
Jersey
law
firm.
He
is
also
the
founder
of
Student
Debt
Diaries,
a
website
discussing
how
he
paid
off
his
student
loans.
You
can
reach
Jordan
through
email
at
jordan@rothman.law.