Week 5 was a whirlwind! It’s hard to believe we are halfway through, but I am excited to share that it’s because my time with Rumberger has been a nonstop learning experience. I started Monday by working with partner Suzanne Singer to draft a response to Plaintiff’s motion for sanctions for spoliation. Even though the name may be daunting, I was proud to pick up the concept quickly and hit the ground running. This was a new motion for me, and I enjoyed digging through the evidence and different case law to write a strong motion. Suzanne filed it on Tuesday and it was very rewarding to see my work getting filed in court!
After that motion was filed, Suzanne invited me to sit in on that case’s mediation with the Plaintiff later in the week. This was also my first mediation, and Suzanne very graciously explained what was happening and even asked for my opinion while negotiating. I liked seeing that mediations were less structured than standard hearings, making it a more cooperative atmosphere, and I understand why alternative dispute resolution has become more common. Mediations may take all day, but generally they will lead to a shorter case as a whole, rather than years of continued litigation before a trial.
I mentioned in a previous blog that attorneys all had different styles in depositions, and I think that is true for all legal work, including writing styles, research strategies, motion preferences, and even in mediations. Partner Scott Sarason invited Ashley and me to watch a mediation last week that allowed us to see five different attorneys represent their clients. Scott, like Suzanne, paused to explain his thought process and shared his strategy throughout the mediation. There were long pauses while we were in the breakout room, so this gave us ample time to learn about the case and see how Scott approached it.
I also sat in on another deposition with associate Erin Weinstock this week. I always appreciate invitations to observe depositions to see how lawyers question witnesses and experts because you will always have to think on your feet depending on the answers. We had a great seminar this week on depositions from Orlando partner Skip Eubanks, who mentioned the importance of preparing but also being ourselves during the deposition. Depositions usually take a long time and are very thorough, so I learned that preparing as much as possible is key.
I capped off the week by drafting a memo for partners Steve Smith and Mike Holt about attorneys’ fees and costs throughout litigation and the appeal process. Every attorney I have worked with this summer has been very experienced, but it is still exciting to see new issues and legal questions arise that they have not seen before. This shows the importance of honing my research skills and reinforces the idea that no two days will be the same as an attorney!
