Gratitude can be a funny thing. In times like this, we can be forgiven for feeling guilty as we count our blessings, sheepishly enjoying our successes as the world seems to crumble around us. Am I grateful enough? Should I be doing more? Is it even gratitude anymore if someone demands you express it? Brene Brown said that “It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” Well sure, I guess, but it feels hard to be filled with gratitude in times as fraught as ours. Or is it easier?

 
I found myself lecturing my children on gratitude this week – explaining how fortunate they are to receive any presents this holiday season, even crappy ones, and sternly instructing them to “learn to be grateful” because…well…everything. I never thought I would actually be able to hear the sound of someone rolling his eyes, but to my son’s credit, he managed to figure it out. “Thank you,” he mumbled. I walked into the kitchen and, almost in a panic, I remembered: “Don’t forget to write a thank you note…” My voice trailed off. I felt like one of the characters in the Progressive Insurance commercials who were unwittingly and inexorably transforming into their parents.
 
How can we tell when gratitude is real? 
 
Maybe it’s when it accompanies action. Maybe it’s when it’s offered without a sense of obligation. Or maybe it’s as Justice Stewart said in his famous definition of pornography: “I know it when I see it.” 
 
For now, I hope you’ll take our word for it when we say “thank you” and you’ll know that, even though we’re just a law firm, we think it’s okay to be grateful, even – or especially – in these times. 
 

You – our friends, family, clients and team members – have been our ballast in this storm.

Thank you for accepting our quirkiness and giving us the space to breathe and grow. Thank you for entrusting us to do meaningful work. Thank you for making us use our brains every day to help solve your complex problems. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to continue to pursue our vision of a different kind of law firm – one that adheres to its cultural tenets, idealistic though they may occasionally sound, and stays true to its vision of integrity to our clients, our colleagues, and ourselves.

The only way a law firm can grow is because our clients and referral sources have made it possible. In the past few months, we’ve added some incredible colleagues to our ranks, including six attorneys that burst with the integrity, skill and passion that we hold so dearly at MM&H. And to make matters even more exciting, two of the attorneys (and an ace paralegal) are in Los Angeles – the outdoorsy, liberal half-sister to our home, Miami, albeit with better food (but Miami’s catching up!), better shopping and better museums. So today, our cup overflows with gratitude.

We look forward to a 2024 filled with lots of 310 phone calls, as many excuses as possible to eat LA sushi, and full-hearted excitement as we continue building something lawsome.