The meeting with my lawyer and the changes to the agreement were nothing short of severe abuse. More on that later when I can recover from the shock.
For the first time in any of these meetings I brought someone with me. I think it helped a lot, I felt more calm, less attacked, more confident. But there was one big surprise.
I mentioned that my Dad often was the lead Union Contract Negotiator. I remember as a teenager seeing my Dad with his pocket contract, a narrow booklet that fit in your pocket. Sometimes during boring TV he would read it and mark it up.
At the meeting, I was reviewing a procedural issue because of her latest revision, the lawyer seems dumb founded and keeps repeating well there's nothing that can be done. My Dad is reading the document for the first time as we are jumping through the markups. Before the lawyer could finish telling me you are screwed, my Dad pipes up, well you could use the 14 day make up clause. The lawyer looked punch drunk for 5 seconds, then said, "well you know that clause wasn't intended for that purpose". So what! It could be used, right? Yeah.
This document has been twisted and abused with terrible impact on myself and my son's ability to see me. And you'd suggest that I honor some undefined intent to the detriment of my son.
But the amazing part is - How does my retired Father without a law degree beat a lawyer at his own game? The same way I do, I guess. It's simple really, you have to care about your work. Guess where I learned it, from a master of it, my Dad. Thanks for coming with me, Dad. Its a skill I hope to pass to my own son.
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What do you think the lawyer is thinking now about my Dad's catching a loophole to serve my son's needs better on my Dad's first reading, when the lawyer has spent 50% of his time every day this week on it?
Do you think my lawyer realizes how mediocre he has been proven? Do you think he knows why it happened? Do you think he cares? The answer to all three questions - NO!
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