Law and Laughter

By Tina Wallis

The Solo and Small Firm Section hosted a Dinner for a Dozen in Santa Rosa on February 26, 2026. Meeting and learning about my kind, friendly, and accomplished colleagues was both delightful and humbling.  Some of their notable accomplishments include being licensed to practice law in two countries.  One colleague turned rubble into a beautiful house in Italy with a small vineyard, all while practicing law full time in California. Another recognized the need for a niche practice and built a successful small firm that is now the “go-to” firm in California for this practice area.  Another raised six children while practicing law in San Francisco at a time when women lawyers were a novelty, sometimes unwelcome, yet she survived with grace, humor, and skill.  Another colleague works two jobs while building his law practice. 

In a stressful and competitive profession during an era where civility is sometimes lacking, it is refreshing and meaningful to meet colleagues outside of our offices and listen to their stories.  Doing so helps all of us be better and kinder colleagues, better serve our clients, and increases our satisfaction while working in the profession.  One participant learned about this newsletter during dinner and is now writing articles for it.  I was struck that half of the participants traveled over an hour each way to join the dinner, with one making a three-hour round-trip drive. The willingness to travel so far on a work night shows both the strong desire and value in connecting in person and outside of courtrooms and deal negotiations.

By the end of the evening, we exchanged our stories, encouraged each other, laughed a lot, traded practice tips, traded life tips, and agreed to keep in touch to maintain our new connections. 

Finally, many thanks to Kettle’s Vietnamese Bistro for the delicious food. If you are ever in Santa Rosa, stop by and say hello to their patient and welcoming staff.