Bench & Bar January/February 2026

the goal. Every motion had to be flaw less, every argument the best and every court appearance a performance. I guess I watched too much Perry Mason as a kid. I mistook confidence for competence and polish for wisdom. I was always searching for approval from judges and colleagues and somehow, I thought success was mea sured by doing it all by myself. But the practice of law has a way of humbling the most stubborn perfectionist. My first court appearance was in District court for a crim inal arraignment. I was nervous but acting completely confident. My job was to enter a not guilty plea and obtain a pre-trial date for one of the senior attorneys in the firm.

of wisdom is not owned by one person. The “well” gets deeper every time a mentor stops and takes the time to answer the question of a young lawyer, or the judge offers advice to correct a situation. My journey is but one cup drawn from the “well,” but it is filled with information and knowledge gathered from the contributions of many. This piece is not about me, but it is about the bits of wisdom that I learned from listening to those who came before me. THE ARROGANCE OF EARLY PRACTICE As stated earlier, I thought perfection was

I appeared in court dressed in a suit and looking sharp. I found the courtroom and walked in to see many other lawyers and defendants from the jail. The courtroom was full. The judge walked in, and everyone rose to their feet. I was hoping the judge would call on someone else first, so I could learn what I was supposed to do. However, I think the judge noticed that I was new, and he decided to call my case first. He con gratulated me upon becoming a member of the bar and proceeded to call my client to podium. I started by having my client state his name and address and then I spoke up and let the court know that he would be pleading not guilty and requested a pre-trial

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