Shakespeare wrote, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." One of the most significant errors a person might make is to disbelieve and deny what they cannot see, hear, or touch. Because things are not always as they appear, the study of law requires one to think abstractly and fill in the gaps to find the truth, the gaps being the circumstantial evidence you may not see, hear, or touch. And that is my goal: to explain complex business and legal matters that require a multidimensional perspective. In all legal disputes, there are at least two opposing points of view, and it is up to the finder of fact to balance which point of view carries more weight. It is the duty of one party to present its argument, and it requires that another party counter the argument. Critical thinking requires considering both sides of an argument so that one is prepared to offer counterarguments.

For some, studying law is daunting. My goal is to explain complex legal matters clearly and straightforwardly. After earning my Juris Doctor from the Southern California Institute of Law in 1991, I began my career as a law clerk for the Ventura County Public Defender's Office, under the supervision of noted legal author Richard E. Erwin. That experience inspired me to move into business law editing at the McClatchy newspaper company.

In the study of law, one is taught to think in the abstract, rather than in black-and-white terms. Legal issues are not always black-and-white and often require some critical thinking. Learning to think like a lawyer requires both a structured approach to information processing and creative thinking. In law studies, using the Socratic method, students learn to think on their feet and speak extemporaneously, developing the ability to argue their case as the instructor changes the facts. My objective, since the Socratic method is not available, is to use essays to explain basic business law principles in terms that most people can understand.

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