They say that a picture is worth a thousand words...

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Perhaps they should also say that a picture is worth a thousand realities. When you look at this photograph, what do you see? Do you see a nostalgic and historical moment? Do you see the end of war? Do you see celebration, joy, and a sense of relief? Do you see a sexual assault? Do you see love? Do you see consent? Do you see a crime?

Of course, there is no right answer. We view the world through the lens of our experience. Our perception is shaped and molded by what has happened to us and what has led us to this moment in time, the moment of observation. It comes from our triumphs and traumas. It comes from our joys and sufferings. It comes from what we know and what we have known. Our perception is our reality.

The legal system is no different. Witnesses, jurors, and judges all see the world through the lens of their experience. None of them can leave their experiences at the door of the courthouse. In shaping our cases and our client’s story, we have to acknowledge that the rest of the world may not necessarily see things the way we do—more importantly, the rest of the world may not see things as our client does. A good lawyer translates the client’s realities into a universal language, that can be viewed and hopefully understood by all the key players in the legal system. Perception may in fact be reality, but our clients still have a story and that story must be told. The story has to have a message that can be embraced and understood. Our clients are not snapshots in time, but instead motion pictures where the lawyer is the director and story teller. The Borghardt Law Firm is ready to listen and tell your story.