Week five began with a trip with partner Jimmy Walsh to a circuit court bail hearing and, in the process, we witnessed a suppression hearing, both of which I found exhilarating. Later that day, I went to lunch with Jimmy and my mentor, associate Fred Clarke. They shared lawyer “war stories” and it was the perfect start to the week.
Partner Rebecca Beers assigned me an intense and challenging research project which allowed me to appreciate the various classes I have taken at Alabama Law and the countless hours I spent in Bounds Library reading, researching, and writing.
Karen Garcia, Director of Human Resources, and Theresa Longo, Office Administrator for the Tampa and Birmingham offices, visited this week, and it is always good to see both of them. Karen took me and associates Julie Potts and Fred Clarke to dinner at Bettola for a lovely Italian dinner. We had great food and a fabulous time talking and laughing.
On Thursday, the summer associates were “treated” to our direct and cross-examination seminar that included iconic lawyer movie exerts as style and presentation examples. I call it a treat because partner Scott Sarason’s entire presentation was entertaining and informative. He stressed the importance of being authentic, respectful, and creative throughout the litigation process. Most importantly, he said we would find our style and voice as we grow as litigators which was inspiring.
Last week, all of the summer associates wrote a Daubert motion, and on Friday, we were put in pairs and participated in a mock hearing regarding our motion. I was paired with Thomas Webb from the Miami office and partner Samantha Duke was our mock judge for the hearing. Samantha created an excellent environment for Tom and me to learn and grow by never breaking character, but guiding us through the process and providing feedback that was invaluable. I practiced and practiced, but my major takeaway was to relax and make the interaction more conversational.
It was another great week at RumbergerKirk filled with learning opportunities.
