Delaware's Southern Charm Celebrating Law Prac tice and Life in Sussex Count y Photo by An
tonio Byrd
INTRODUCTION BY DENISE DEL GIORNO NORDHEIMER, ESQUIRE
F
rom the screenplay by Horton Foote for the film adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird:
“ Maycomb was a tired old town, even in 1932 when I first knew it. Somehow, it was hotter then. Men’s stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon after their three o’clock naps. And by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frosting from sweating and sweet talcum. The day was twenty-four hours long, but it seemed longer. There’s no hurry …”
Three years ago, I expanded my practice to include a Sussex County location and I have come to discover the many joys of a downstate lifestyle. My professional and personal life in Milton remind me of the small town in the opening of the film To Kill a Mockingbird. Like much of Sussex County, it seems removed from the pressures of daily life that I have come to accept in my northerly existence. The clients, the Court staff, my neighbors, the clerks at the grocery store, all seem to choose to resist the more toxic pace of modern life in favor of longer chats, civil pleasantries, and concern about the wellbeing of you and your dog. In this issue, we have asked some long-standing judges and attorneys from Kent and Sussex County to share their thoughts on living and working in this alternate universe. I would encourage anyone who has not had the opportunity to practice downstate to take a case that brings you into its orbit; you will find that the pace of life, collegiality, and sunsets spoken of here are not exaggerated. If you are ever in Milton, please come up on my porch and allow me to show you some downstate hospitality because, there, I do miraculously have time for everything. Denise D. Nordheimer practices estate administration, estate planning, adult guardianships, and fiduciary litigation at Nordheimer Law. She loves small dogs, baking, knitting, and walking and can be reached at denise@nordheimerlaw.com. Ph oto by Ric har
d K. Herrmann
, Es quire
DSBA Bar Journal | November 2021
19
