Monday, December 04, 2006
Seriously
There is a pretty strong emphasis on professionalism in the law. It's sort of surreal for me, because professionalism, maturity in general, sometimes feels like an alien concept to me. My problem is that when I put on my "professional" hat, I feel like I am doing some sort of elaborate ritual - which belongs to another culture entirely. In fact, given my current level of 'professionalism' I think that I would have more success if I moved to mongolia to raise wild horses.
I guess that one of the best personal(meaning outside any legal skills) advantages I am getting out of this clerkship - a few extra years to grow into the professionalism that seems to be required of an attorney.
On that note, however, there is nothing quite as ridiculous as a lawyer who takes himself too seriously. Why? As I see it, it's like everyone in the court room knows its an act of sorts. Some professionalism is respectful and necessasary - this is the genuine kind. However, there are those who wrap their 'dignity' around them like a cloak - maybe trying to mask that pike pledge that lies hidden beneath the surface? (You know the guy. He attempts to be the alpha male, but it doesn't quite take and there is this sort of sweet social awkwardness.) It's too bad, because in the end I think that everyone in the courtroom has a hell of a lot more in common with that pledge, than the pretentious jerk he is pretending to be.
One of the best things I have read today is from the now defunct blog 'Wings and Vodka.' Actually, this quote was the impetus behind this post. I just think it's great and I hope my friends, law school and otherwise, can somehow apply this to their lives (this means you laura, if you are reading this).
"Here’s to dropping the Ludacris footnote into your judge’s opinion, or the GHB in the hiring partner’s coffee, or your pants at the firm Christmas banquet. Here’s to providing fodder for the hundreds of law students blogging about their clerkships each summer. Here’s to setting aside a few minutes out of each day--each of the thousands of days we’ll spend in this serious profession--to take ourselves a little less than seriously. Seriously."
Seriously.
Ciao.
I guess that one of the best personal(meaning outside any legal skills) advantages I am getting out of this clerkship - a few extra years to grow into the professionalism that seems to be required of an attorney.
On that note, however, there is nothing quite as ridiculous as a lawyer who takes himself too seriously. Why? As I see it, it's like everyone in the court room knows its an act of sorts. Some professionalism is respectful and necessasary - this is the genuine kind. However, there are those who wrap their 'dignity' around them like a cloak - maybe trying to mask that pike pledge that lies hidden beneath the surface? (You know the guy. He attempts to be the alpha male, but it doesn't quite take and there is this sort of sweet social awkwardness.) It's too bad, because in the end I think that everyone in the courtroom has a hell of a lot more in common with that pledge, than the pretentious jerk he is pretending to be.
One of the best things I have read today is from the now defunct blog 'Wings and Vodka.' Actually, this quote was the impetus behind this post. I just think it's great and I hope my friends, law school and otherwise, can somehow apply this to their lives (this means you laura, if you are reading this).
"Here’s to dropping the Ludacris footnote into your judge’s opinion, or the GHB in the hiring partner’s coffee, or your pants at the firm Christmas banquet. Here’s to providing fodder for the hundreds of law students blogging about their clerkships each summer. Here’s to setting aside a few minutes out of each day--each of the thousands of days we’ll spend in this serious profession--to take ourselves a little less than seriously. Seriously."
Seriously.
Ciao.
E 11:26 PM