I spent time with Chip Merlin earlier this week in our Los Angeles office. We discussed how best to represent our clients in some of our more interesting cases. As part of our discussion, Chip mentioned the importance of learning and what it takes to best represent policyholders. I thought about his advice and later found these quotes that touch on learning:
“It is what we know already that often prevents us from learning.” — Claude Bernard
“Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned.” — Mark Twain
“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” — Harry S. Truman
Learning is an evolving process, as is the law. In helping policyholders, I come across novel issues and situations where there are no clear answers. To be an effective advocate for policyholders, we can’t limit or confine ourselves to what we already know or a set way of doing things. That may involve thinking outside of the box or, as Chip put it, getting out of our skin. Indeed, sometimes we have to “unlearn” to strive for our clients.
