What Makes You Different?

Brad: Alright, you're listening to Your Best Defense Podcast. We are sitting with Oklahoma City Criminal Defense Attorney Jacqui Ford. Jacqui what makes you different from other attorneys out there?

 

JF: I think one of the things that makes me different is I understand the hard knock life. And I don't have to sit here and tell you my stories, but to understand that I've been in handcuffs, I've been in jail, I've been falsely accused of things, I've been rightfully accused of things. I understand how easily it is to sit on the other side of the table from me and that's how I try and treat my clients. I treat my clients the way I wish I had been treated. I try and treat them the way that if it were me having made a mistake and gotten caught, or if it were me having done something willful vicious and mean and looking  back with regret. Those actions don't have to define us. I try and treat my clients exactly the way as I would have myself treated if I was on the other side of the table. And it's easy for me because I've been on the other side of the table. I have been a person who didn't have a place to live. And I have experienced both myself and from those that I love and care about every possible side of the pits of Hell of addiction. I've seen my family struggle with alcohol. I myself have struggled in the past with drugs and alcohol and it's not something I tend to tell the rest of the world but I tell all of my clients. And I tell them that because I want them to know that they are not sitting in a room with somebody who is judging them. That is not what happens here. There is a place for that and it's not here. Our goal is not to judge you or criticize you. Our goal is to listen to you, help you determine what your needs are, and facilitate meeting those needs. So that when you walk away from this process - and you will walk away from this process - that you walk away feeling better about yourself. That you're stronger. That you're more confident. That you have the tools and the skill set to be able to combat whatever your demons are that got you here. Whether they're yours or somebody else's. Our goal is for you to walk out of here knowing that if you want to go do whatever that you want to do that you can do it. Because if I can go from being a homeless street kid with a drug problem to a very successful well respected lawyer, then you can do it too. I have nothing special going for me. All I have is a good number of people who looked out for me when I needed it the most, a couple of people who reached out their hand when I needed help, a lot of good luck and a lot of doing unto others. And that's what I believe in. I don't believe in preaching. I believe that everybody should have their right to have whatever faith and belief that they want. The message that people receive from my office is we are an office of  love. We give what we expect to get. We embrace everybody that walks in here and treat them with respect unless and until they do something to lose that. You don't have to earn it from me. You don't have to come in here and convince me that you're worthy to be fought for. I already know you're worthy to be fought for. That's why I'm here. All you have to be able to do is be able to trust that I know where you've been, and I have enough experience both personally and professionally to be able to guide you into the best path. I don't define my clients as being something less than me. I consider them my friends for the most part and some of them, quite frankly, I consider family.

 

BP: You've been listening to Your Best Defense Podcast with Attorney Jacquelyn Ford - Jacqui Ford - Oklahoma City Criminal Defense Attorney.

JF: Thanks Brad.