Finally - a real lawyer!

All the months of visiting courtrooms in McHenry County finally paid off today. I got to see a real lawyer practicing real law! Imagine that.

I was sitting in Judge Maureen McIntyre's courtroom, waiting for her to get to the bottom of the list. And am I ever glad that I waited.

As I waited, I listened to Judge McIntyre's loud and clear voice as she called each case. And then I had to sit on the edge of the bench, cup my hand to my ear and strained to hear what followed. The judge's voice dropped to a low conversational level and the voices of the attorney were likewise in low tones. I figured they must be talking, because the judge nodded her head from time to time. Sometimes her lips moved.

But then it happened. Judge McIntyre called a case and when the defendant's attorney argued her motion, her voice could be heard clearly throughout the courtroom. And she wasn't shouting, either. She spoke clearly, directly, concisely, confidently. She was well-prepared, knew the cases she intended to cite, and moved logically through her arguments on several points.

This is what the practice of law is all about. She was doing law, not just "practicing" (if you know what I mean). She knew her points. She knew exactly what she wanted to say, and she said it well.

As she was leaving, I asked for her card, and I thanked her for speaking clearly in court. And she "got" it.

I publicly thank Roberta Holzwarth of Holmstrom & Kennedy in Rockford. If you need a lawyer, this is the lawyer to get!

You can read more about her at www.holmstrom-kennedy.com/attorneys/alpha/RobertaHolzwarth.cfm and at www.compliance.gov/organization/holzwarth.html