Editorial
Front Page - Friday, June 26, 2009
Miller & Martin attorney espouses volunteerism
David Laprad
Attorney Richard Crotteau likes his paycheck as much as everyone else who works for a living. And he takes pride in a job well done for a client. But he says there are greater dividends to be reaped in helping people unable to help
themselves.
“There’s more enjoyment to be gained from helping a poor person resolve his problem than from doing good work for a business client,” Crotteau says. “A business client appreciates what you’ve done for him,
but he paid you to do it. You haven’t impacted his life in a significant way. When
you help an indigent person, you can make a real difference in his life.”
The 39-year veteran at Miller & Martin in Chattanooga represents developers in connection with office, industrial and retail space. He’s also done work for golf courses, homeowner’s associations and townhouse developments. When someone in need of his expertise walks through the door at Legal Aid of East Tennessee, the agency gives him a call.
“I had the privilege of helping a lady living in a mobile home. It took me over two years to get her relief,” Crotteau says. “I’ve also helped people with a lack of roads and utilities. And I’m working on a case in the mountains that involves boundary line and deed problems. My client couldn’t afford to pay to resolve those kinds of issues.”
Not all of the pro bono cases that cross Crotteau’s desk are as complicated or time consuming. Sometimes, a person will receive a confusing letter from the government or another agency; a phone call or a letter might be all that’s needed to resolve the situation.
“Everyone is entitled to some basic rights. We should be able to enjoy a home and not have other people trample on our rights,” says Crotteau.
Although Crotteau says he’d be embarrassed to say how little pro bono work he does, he volunteered enough of his time and know-how in 2008 to draw the attention of the Pro Bono Project and the Pro Bono Committee of the Chattanooga Bar Association, which honored him with the Bruce C. Bailey Volunteer Lawyer of the Year award in May.
“I feel honored to be recognized for helping others,” Crotteau says. “God blessed me with the education I received, so I feel it’s only fair that I should give something back by helping those who need a lawyer but can’t pay for one.”
Crotteau says it’s his duty to take on the pro bono opportunities with which Legal Aid provides him. To whom much has been given, much is expected, he says, so he willingly helps those in need of an advocate.
Crotteau was born in Wisconsin, where he attended a one-room public school. The oldest of six children, Crotteau’s mother died when he was 11. Nevertheless, he was able to obtain his high school degree and some college credit at St. Lawrence Seminary in his home state.
Crotteau then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and went through aviation cadet training, where he received his navigator wings and second lieutenant bars at the age of 21. While in the military, he also met and married his wife, with whom he went on to have two children. (The Crotteau’s will celebrate their 48th wedding anniversary this fall.)
While in the Air Force, Crotteau spent six years with the Strategic Air Command flying on a B-52 as an electronics warfare officer. He was on a B-52 during the Cuban missile crisis and the Cold War with Russia, accumulating over 2,000 hours of flight time. After eight years with the Air Force, Crotteau began attending Vanderbilt Law School.
At Vanderbilt, Crotteau worked part-time at the law firm of Hooker, Willis & Knight. He also put in one year at the district attorney’s office. Crotteau graduated second in his class and joined Miller & Martin in June 1970.
Having lost his mother at an early age and grown up on a small farm, Crotteau has been committed to assisting children and the poor, needy and less fortunate. He’s been involved with Bethany Christian Services in Chattanooga for 26 years, serving as chairman of the board for several years. In addition, he was a founding member of the Chattanooga Resource Foundation, now known as Chattanooga Matters, and has been on its board since its inception in 1983.
“We’re all a product of our experiences, and one of my fundamental beliefs is that each person is made in the image of God,” says Crotteau, a lifelong Catholic who considered becoming a priest before joining the military. “One of the things that make me tick is how we often look at people in terms of what they might be able to contribute to society. What if someone has an IQ of 75 or is old and no longer has any practical purpose? What should we do with him? Is he entitled to any rights? Those questions scare me.”
Although Crotteau has strong feelings about a number of issues, including what he says is a loss of respect in America for human life, he can quickly rope you into a conversation with his pervasive grin, frequent laughter and infectious energy. While seated in a conference room at Miller & Martin, he finds it almost impossible to sit still as he relates stories about his time in the Air Force.
They’re the kind of stories that could easily fill a morning without getting dull, but since Crotteau is cutting back on his hours at the firm, he needs to polish off some work before lunch. “I’ve had a wonderful run. Now I’m slowing down. I’m taking long weekends,” he says.
Even though Crotteau has earned his rest, as well as his Volunteer Lawyer award, he expresses only gratitude for the opportunities he’s received. “To come off a small Wisconsin dairy farm and receive a good education and then work for a law firm like this one — it’s been incredible. I’m very thankful.”
Which means Crotteau knows just how his pro bono clients feel.
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