We will give you one, simple piece of advice.
Don't do anything stupid to get on the blog. Don't snapchat your guilty verdict, or facebook your cross, or tweet about a motion to suppress or Instagram the first autopsy photo you see.
Here's some more small stuff:
You will make your name and your mark by being fair, decent, honest and a person of your word. Being "tough" at this point in your career means merely you have no life experience or perspective.
Perhaps you laugh at that.
Maybe you would like to talk to a prior "tough" Division Chief who had little sympathy for defendants until they got arrested for their own DUI and lost their career?
Most defense attorneys are not jerks. Some are. Because a defense attorney lies to you, attacks you improperly in court, or is demeaning, does not mean the next one is a jerk and will treat you badly.
Treat everyone- lawyers and defendants- as a unique individual. Not all cops, witnesses and victims are telling the truth. Not all of them are liars either. Sometimes they are honestly mistaken.
Find the good people in your office. They will be easy to spot. Frank Ledee. David Gilbert. Reid Ruben. Warren Eth. Bill McGee. Many others we are forgetting. The ones who you see Judges acknowledging when they walk into court. The ones who are cordial and friendly with the defense bar and the Pds. When you see one of these people, watch what they do. Volunteer to help on a case even if it means just copying and scanning (we used to say stapling but then millennials scoffed at us).
Update: A reader made an excellent comment/complaint.
Anonymous said...
A little Trumpian chauvinism coming out in Rump. The only good people at the State you mention are all men?!? How about Marie Mato, Isis Perez, Alejandra Lopez, Abbe Rifkin? You can do better than that Rump.
Look for the plaques of Sy Gaer and Richard Sharpstein in the courthouse and read about them and then ask others about them. Look for the picture of Judge Edward Cowart and ask some old timers about him. Google Ellen Morphonious and ask old time prosecutors about working with Janet Reno.
Here's a Sy Gaer story- about 15 years ago we were in trial in a pretty big drug case that we realized was well beyond the young ASA's ability. About the third day of trial the ASA surprised us and pulled off a pretty nifty trick in court during closing. Later, when the jury was out, we asked them how they thought of it. They smiled: "I saw Sy at the bar last night. I was pretty depressed. He bought me a drink and asked me about the case. That was his idea."
We couldn't help but laugh that Sy, who beat on prosecutors for over forty years took pity on a young kid and helped them out. He did things like that all the time.
Most of all, make the most of this experience. It may well be the most fun you will have as a lawyer.
Enjoy the ride. We will see you in court.
