Most people knew David Moffitt, the hard-hitting attorney, but having been his loyal, legal secretary and assistant for over three years, I ended up knowing David Moffitt, the loving, caring family man. Mr. Moffitt was so tough and thorough that his legal secretaries and assistants did not last long.  I stayed the longest of them all.

 

Attorney David Moffitt will forever have the reputation in the legal world, especially in the eyes of prosecutors and assistant attorney generals all over the state, of being the most aggressive, argumentative, pestering attorney there is.  He is the attorney you more than respected outside of the courtroom but hated having to  argue against inside the courtroom because he would undress your arguments in seconds with his legal brilliance. His reputation as the “coldest street lawyer around” always preceded him and made him a target for opposing attorneys, but it also made him easily one of the most well-respected in every court. He was a scholar of the law and his fluency in linguistics and his extensive vocabulary made him a Warrior of Letters and the absolute toughest of courtroom opponents.

 

Having turned himself into this titan of an attorney, whose self-established law firm became one of the most sought-after appellate firms in Michigan, and it still is today, also made Mr. Moffitt rather intimidating to work for. When he first hired me as his legal secretary and legal assistant in 2018, I was petrified. This man was feared and loathed by prosecutorial staffs all over Michigan because of his persistence and tenacity in fighting for his clients. I had circuit courts and prosecutors’ offices call constantly to comment on a brief Mr. Moffitt had written or filed that was causing a stir or that was requiring an oral argument because it had so much merit to it. I could even sometimes hear the annoyance in their voices as they had to concede to a winning argument. Day-in and day-out, I was flooded with calls or e-mails because the opposing side was upset at something Mr. Moffitt did or said on behalf of his incarcerated clients. He was always advocating for his clients, even behind the scenes. 

 

But spending every workday in the office with him allowed me to see behind the tough, rigid exterior to the soft, sweet man who was David Louis Moffitt, the caring father and loving fiancé.

 

Mr. Moffitt loved his sons more than I can ever describe in words. He leaves behind his two boys: Drake and David. If either son ever called Mr. Moffitt while he was at the office, even if it was in the middle of a deadline, Mr. Moffitt immediately answered and, if needed, would leave to tend to his kids. He ALWAYS ended his phone calls with, “I love you, son.” Always. Family first. I have not seen anyone other than my own father put his kids first in such a selfless, loving way. It brings me to tears to think of that. Although those boys were seen as everyday blessings to Mr. Moffitt, I know that both David and Drake thank God every day to have had a dad like him. I know they cherish the time they had with him. My heart breaks knowing that they have lost their dad, their mentor, their caretaker, and ultimately, their best friend, but I know Mr. Moffitt is looking down at them from above, enveloping them with his protection and adoration. 

 

There was also David Louis Moffitt, the kind, Christian man-of-God. I always knew Mr. Moffitt to be a God-fearing person, but it was such a joy to watch him integrate his faith into his work with his clientele at the law firm. He used to pray for each and every client before bed every week because he truly wished God would help right the wrongs and injustices done to each and every one of them.

 

And then, there was when he met the love of his life, Kathryn. I watched him change into a different man when he met “his angel.” That is what he called her when he first told me about her. Mr. Moffitt became someone who was utterly and incandescently happy all the time when he finally found Kathryn. When we were working hard on briefs at the office and she would come in to see him, his face went from frowning, stressed, and concentrative to bright, cheery, and smiling as he went to greet her and hug her. She changed his life just by being who she is—Mr. Moffitt’s soulmate who loved to dote on him with love and affection. She showed him that he did not always have to have the tough, lawyer exterior towards everyone. His deep love for her showed him that he could be openly happy, lighthearted, and expressive, which would show people just how good of a man that David Louis Moffitt, the person, was, not just when he was being an attorney.

 

Mr. Moffitt was a great man. He had such a big heart. He took a chance on me, even though I had less experience at the time than many of the other candidates for the position. He said he hired me because I was a “REALLY NICE LADY," as he wrote at the top of my resume during my job interview. My loyalty to Mr. Moffitt, remaining by his side all these years became effortless because he was that good to me as a boss and as a person. He became more like a family member.

 

I am overrun with sadness and grief as I try to cope with him being gone. I will never get another “Mr. Moffitt phone call.” I will never get another “Mr. Moffitt text” where he half-spells words because he was never technologically savvy. I will never get another chance to make him my paleo chocolate chip cookies that he said he loved and were the best cookies he has ever had (so I used to make him a batch almost every week!). I will never get another chance to tell him how thankful I am to him for allowing me to blossom at his law office. I will never get another chance to show him the appreciation he deserves of being a hard-working, wonderful person.

 

I knew him as an attorney, and I knew him as the wonderful man he was. As I soldier on at the firm, along with the rest of the team there, and continue his incredible legacy and his impeccable advocacy, Mr. Moffitt will always be in my heart. He sadly went to God way too soon, but he will never ever be forgotten. We love you, Mr. Moffitt. Rest in peace and watch over us here at the firm. We hope we are making you proud.

 

                                                          -Amanda