​​​"Culture will beat scheme every day.​" -- Chip Kelly, head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles​​​ ​​ ​What does this statement mean? And how does it apply to the practice of law and the legal field in Philadelphia? First, it means that culture -- the habit of excellence, doing the right thing at all times, treating all others with respect, and holding oneself to a standard of excellence -- will beat scheme -- the opponents' strategy, reputation, name recognition, popularity,

​"How important grandparents are for family life, for passing on the human and religious heritage which is so essential for each and every society! How important it is to have intergenerational exchanges and dialogue, especially within the context of the family."​​ -- Pope Francis​​, July 26, 2013 ​ Are you the grandparent of a child in Pennsylvania, looking to gain some sort of contact, visitation or custody of your grandchild? If so, depending on the facts of your case, yo

​"Whoever wants to be great must become a servant." -- Mark 10:43, The Message​ I'm a nobody. I've been treated like crap by people in my life, from people who I know to complete strangers who want to judge me from afar without really knowing who I am. Most lawyers will tell you how great they are, how confident they are, how aggressive they are, how much they know, how many credentials they have. There are moments when I feel that way, and may perhaps convey that image to

​​"Could you keep your heart in wonder at the daily miracles of your life, your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy; and you would accept the seasons of your heart, even as you have always accepted the seasons that pass over your fields." -- Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet​, p. 52 As the title above implies, I'll say it explicitly here: I've been feeling like absolute crap this whole past week. I have what is likely a really bad sinus infection, with heavy pressure be

"You're suffering now, but justice is on the way." -- 2 Thessalonians 1:5, The Message​​​ I must have put a jinx on myself with last week's blog entry​, since I started feeling sick on Tuesday afternoon then got horribly sick on Wednesday and yesterday. I feel only slightly better today, but that's not saying much. I guess if I had to get sick, it's good that I'll have this weekend to hopefully get better.​ I apologize to all my clients and other interested persons who may