The Goolsby Law Firm Brag Board

[Photo of the Goolsby Law Firm, 233 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA]

Recently, I included a post in which I bragged about my second son Blake's passing the Georgia bar exam and joining our Augusta, Georgia family law firm. Today, I hope you don't mind that, as a proud father, I once again want to brag a little bit--this time about my third son, Zachary. Zach is home for Christmas break and has now passed the midway point of law school! 

In other words, Zach has three semesters down and only three more semesters to go until graduation! Then, I believe we will be the only law firm in the history of the State of Georgia composed of a parent and three children--practicing law together--who are attorneys!

As Augusta, GA lawyers, we primarily handle divorces, child custody cases, adoptions, personal injury cases, and criminal cases, in both state and federal court. I believe I am the only former twenty year federal prosecutor in the Augusta and Evans, Georgia area. I have handled some of the largest, most complex fraud and public corruption cases in Georgia and U.S. history.

My first two lawyer sons, Richard (Ric) Goolsby, Jr. and Blake Goolsby, with whom I presently practice law in Augusta, both graduated from Mercer Law School. My third son, Zach Goolsby, presently attends the University of Georgia School of Law, which is where I also graduated. He and I will be the two "Double Dawgs" in our family law firm!

So, thank you for understanding and allowing me--a proud father--to brag once again! 

Congrats, Zach! We are very proud of you and look forward to your joining us at The Goolsby Law Firm! 

Internet Fraud: More Scams Than Quaker's Got Oats!



[Photo from savingeveryday.com]

No one needs to educate you about the fact that the internet is overrun with countless con artists whose sole desire is to lure your money away from you with countless types of fraudulent schemes!  You already know that!  Indeed, there are more investment fraud scams, telemarketing schemes, fake sweepstakes scams, and bogus lotteries -- more fraudulent internet scams of all kinds -- than Quaker's got oats!  And that's a lot of oats!

But did you know that lawyers, like the elderly, are also frequent targets of internet con artists on the prowl?  While I haven't seen any statistics, I can attest that, quite often, we at The Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, located in Augusta, Georgia, receive email containing offers that are "too good to be true" from  criminals around the world.  For example, today, I received an urgent inquiry from a man, (who claimed to be from Malaysia), who alleged he desperately needs an American law firm to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars owed to his company.  On other occasions, we have received similar email requests to help collect large sums supposedly owed to parties who have divorced and whose husbands remain in this country.  In each case, the hook might be a little bit different, but the goal is the same.  Of course, in each case, the con artist simply wants to obtain our bank account information -- that is, if we ever bite down on their tempting hook!

How should we respond?  Part of me wants to respond by telling them what I really think of them!  I also want to scare them about the fact that I am a former federal prosecutor and that I have turned them in to the F.B.I.  But then, I realize that the best course of action, in this situation, is probably to simply ignore and delete the fraudulent emails.  I realize that the F.B.I. is too busy to investigate so many internet fraud scams.  After all, as I have concluded, there are more internet scams "out there" than Quaker's got oats!

What do you think?



The Goolsby Law Firm: And How I Got Here!

Have you ever noticed how life can involve a series of "coincidental" circumstances and that life can lead you to places you never before dreamed you would be? That's sort of what happened to me in my arrival here, two years ago, to practice law with my oldest son, at The Goolsby Law Firm in Augusta!

Two years ago, I was working happily as a federal prosecutor, here, in Augusta, Georgia. At that time, I still enjoyed the challenge of prosecuting major fraud and public corruption cases and, after twenty years as a federal prosecutor, I thought I would finish my career in that position. But then, the coincidences began occurring and, suddenly, my life and career began changing rapidly! But let me give you a little background information.

At that time, my oldest son had recently gotten out of law school and had just started practicing law in a small Augusta law firm under the tutelage of a more experienced Augusta attorney. All of a sudden, out of the blue, that attorney decided to move away from Augusta. (You see, she was probably dealing with her own series of life's coincidences!) She offered to sell her law practice to my son. As a family, we all wondered what he should do?

Simultaneously, out of the blue, the Department of Justice offered all career employees with 20 years of government service an "early out," with full retirement benefits and a bonus! I will never forget how I learned about this early retirement opportunity. Get the picture: I was sitting in the U.S. Attorney's Office and thinking about my son's situation, when I learned that our office had just won an appeal in a major public corruption case that I had tried and won. The case was against State Senator Charles Walker who had appealed his convictions on 127 felony counts. By winning the appeal, I knew I wouldn't have to try that case again! Sitting there, I was elated! While I was actually reading the appellate court decision on my office computer monitor, all of a sudden, an email also "popped up" on the same screen informing me about the early retirement opportunity. Coincidentally, I had also just passed the 20 year milestone.

That email, along with winning the appeal on my "career case," provided all the answers I needed! I decided, right then and there, to take up Uncle Sam on his generous "early out" offer, and to leave the U.S. Attorney's Office and buy in to the law practice with my son! The timing was perfect! I was thrilled! After all, how often does a parent have a chance to do something like this with their children?!

And after two years, I haven't looked back! I enjoy my new career and practicing law with my son! (Two more sons may also join us down the road!) I am also proud of the work done and the clients helped by The Goolsby Law Firm during the past two years! But I am still amazed at how a series of coincidences led me to where I am today! The career prosecutor is now a proud criminal defense lawyer and a divorce attorney! I never would have dreamed it!

Life is a series of coincidences! Or is it all coincidental?

Have you experienced a similar series of coincidences in your own life?!