Our Founder, Tony Serra's Personal Creed:
I have always been a supporter of the underdog. I remember growing up being keenly aware of my classmates and friends who were different than me or treated as outcasts because of their circumstances, appearance or perceived shortcomings. Seems I always had empathy for the “nerdy kid” that everyone ridiculed sensing how demoralizing it must feel to be part of a group that is constantly being rejected. My parents taught me that I was no better than anyone else but that no one was better than me.
Childhood is certainly a difficult time for many of us and kids can be downright cruel. Perhaps as children we don't know better, but the core of who we are is manifest, I believe, at a very early age. It's part of our DNA and how we are raised. It is not to say we cannot change, but if you want to judge a person's character, look and see how he or she treats the outcasts, those who are struggling and the downtrodden.
I am not perfect and I, like the rest of us, have my shortcomings; but I believe in the dignity of each and every human being knowing that at any moment, my good fortune (whatever it may be) can be swept away leaving me to rely on the goodness, compassion and care of others to meet my basic needs. How I treat others is how I will be treated in return.
Although I am not a very religious person, I do believe we reap what we sow and that our work on this earth will be measured, not in terms of the size of our bank account, but rather in our good deeds and how we treated people. “To whom much is given, much is expected” was taught to me at an early age and has never left my consciousness. I also believe that as a society, we rise and fall based on the collective efforts of us all, not through the good fortune of a few. Helping those who require the help and advocacy of others fulfills me both as a lawyer and as a human being.
Despite the prevailing negative attitude towards lawyers, I am honored to be part of this noble profession and to serve the interests of others who need a voice. By the grace of God I have been blessed in many ways; it is only right that I give back to society to make this a better world for all its inhabitants.