This and That by Dennis Wade (WCM Celebrates 25 Years)
25 years. A quarter of a century. That’s how long WCM has flown its banner, serving our clients, delivering, I believe, superior outcomes. The question begged, of course, is whether, in the hyper- competitive market in which we compete (insurance and related controversies), longevity as a firm, stability, really matter? We recognize, to be sure, many old line legacy firms carry the names of partners who now practice in the clouds, high above the day-to-day contests of insurance controversies. But recently, I was struck by the advertisement for Farmers Insurance: “We know a thing or two. Because we’ve seen a thing or two.” And in our 25 years of practice, we’ve seen a thing or two—and I believe that gives us an edge on the advice we give and the defenses we put forward on behalf of our clients—you and your customers.
Our website touts “Judgment Forged By Experience.” And, while a slogan, it goes to the heart of what we believe: The law must be judged through the prism of experience. Just today, I chatted with a client, frustrated with a jurist who seemed to be in the pocket of the other side. “It happens,” I said, “but what counts is our next move.” Railing against a bad draw on the wheel of justice serves an important purpose–venting; but, experience teaches, the focus must be on the next steps. Successful outcomes don’t turn on border skirmishes; they turn on who, on balance, comes out on top of the matter. And that is precisely where experience and the fortitude of having seen a thing or two really matter.
We’ve all heard “Less is more” in a variety of contexts. Less does not really refer to verbiage; it refers to the key points necessary to win the contest. Our collective experience, like a knife honed to a fine edge, allows us to cut away what is extraneous and to carve into bite size pieces what is essential to make the best possible case for our clients.
We can’t change the facts. But we can shape the outcome by a relentless focus on making the complex simple, and by a renewed commitment to keeping our clients’ interests at the center of all that we do.
And that’s it for this This and That. Stay tuned for the next 25.
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