Oh, it may be the murder case that results in a "not guilty" verdict, or the multimillion dollar personal injury award.
But for me, it was an adult name change.
My client was 18. He wanted to completely change his name, first, middle, and last, to get away from the ties of abusive parents. Very abusive, actually.
And, so, this absolutely gorgeous 18 yr old man stood beside me, and answered my questions about his age, his criminal background (which was non-existant), and his current situation, and he offered his plans for the future.
He testified he carried a 4.0 gpa at a local university. He will receive his degree in accounting, and has been offered a job with Price Waterhouse.
I asked him a second time to repeat his age, whereupon the judge had to tell me he totally got it that he had been a slacker, that we were in the presence of an awesome young man with an unlimited future, and he did grant the name change, which we all agreed were a first, middle, and last name of beauty and distinction.
I had just done a step-parent adoption, which usually draws applause and sometimes tears.
But nothing topped this name change.
My hope is that he will be President, and not a Wall Street banker, but no matter which direction his young heart takes him, he will be smart, kind, beautiful, and independant.
I went around the courtroom asking lawyers where they were at 18, and what they thought was important, and they were every bit the goofs that I was.
And they all stood for him when he left the courtroom with his new name, and there were tears.