Monday, September 08, 2014

WELCOME

You see them walking through the hallways, white knuckles tight around Starbuck's cups, balancing files and cellphones, somewhat lost, very confused, their new suits conspicuous in a hallway filed with cheap ones. 

We are talking about the new ASAs and PDs who have started their training. 

Welcome. 

You are entering a profession in which you can do great things. As a prosecutor you  will have the opportunity to protect your community and give victim's a voice. As a PD you might just literally save someone's life.  It's a wondrous journey you are embarking on. 

Most of you will do two or three years here  and move on. The economics of family and school loans will require it. Some of you will make criminal law your career. A few of you will make this building and the glorious people who inhabit it your life. You may find love here, although lust is always around the next corner. You will make many friends here. The best friends we have were the people we met during those first few years. We survived a trial by fire, and we became close, and although there is a physical distance between us, that closeness survives. We can call on anyone of them  and ask them to meet us five thousand miles away, and know they will be there if we need them to. 

There is so much we can tell you. But why ruin the movie? It's more fun and it's infinitely more valuable if you find out on your own. 

So we will leave you with one piece of advice. It's advice we give all new lawyers. And it's easy for us to see who follows that advice and who does not. 

So listen closely and take heed. Put down the double latte and stop texting, tweeting, and facebooking and instagraming for one damn minute and listen up:

It will take you a lifetime to build your reputation as a lawyer. 
And one minute to destroy it. 
No case is worth breaking your word. 
No case is worth your career. 
No case is worth your reputation. 

Now go forth and do great things. 

Godspeed. 

See you in court. 

14 comments:

  1. Andrew Hague told us the same thing when we started. I have better advice. Be yourself.

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  2. We are losing great judges who either cannot or will not become politicians.

    Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/09/07/4332168_close-down-the-judicial-campaign.html#storylink=cpy

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  3. To all the newbie PDS, remember your client will do the time not you, so don't mislead with words just because you want to try cases or get experience! Do not assume that your client is an idiot or deaf because he speaks another language or speaks English with an accent, and ask SPECIFIC questions unless you want rambling answers!

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  4. Did I win the Blog NFL Suicide Pool? Did I beat Kenny W.?

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  5. This Football thing is easier than I thought ….

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  6. Janet Reno gave good advice.

    1. Assume everything you say is being overheard by a Herald reporter.
    2. If they defendant may be innocent, drop the case.
    3. Don't say anything your mother would not be proud to hear you said.
    4. Don't take the cases personally, ever.

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  7. And don't be like this guy:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/08/us/as-2-go-free-joe-freeman-britt-a-dogged-ex-prosecutor-digs-in.html?emc=edit_th_20140908&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=61533062&_r=0

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  8. mislead a client for a trial? bla bla bla

    that is a comment made by a person who generally talks his clients out of going to trial because of their own shortcomings. you win that argument time after time because the client smells your fear and incompetence. you are a public pretender not a public defender. do not be that guy.



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  9. 4:34 said...

    2. If they defendant may be innocent, drop the case.

    Hahahahahahahahahaa. You've mistated the standard. The real standard is: if Felony Screening decided to file, then the guy is guilty in fact and you do not second guess. You offer guidelines, don't return defense phone calls, and announce ready. If witnesses don't come, ask for a continuance.

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  10. 4:15 shumie time. You newbies don't know shumie time yet. Ask around. It's a cool tradition here.

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  11. New ASA's, remember that those young prosecutors who want to be hard asses with defemdants and their counsel are the ones that fall the hardest on their asses because of stupid problems with alcohol, clubs, drugs or guns.

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  12. Shumie is annoying although he runs a great club REN (a venue) and cigar shoppe Shumie's Carribbean Cigars.
    But shumie time is great. It's what makes life worth living here. Come see me at Monty's this Friday around 330 and I will buy you a painkiller (it's a drink) and explain.

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  13. 9:44
    >>New ASA's, remember that those young prosecutors who want to be hard asses . . .are the ones that fall the hardest on their asses because of stupid problems with alcohol, clubs, drugs or guns.<<

    So True.

    ReplyDelete