Where Were You in 1994? This past weekend was my 20th year law school reunion at the University of Virginia. Being back in Hookville is always a good time But this time was especially significant. Because 1994, the year of my graduation, was a big year for me. In fact, it was literally a pivot in my life. Afterwards, nothing was the same. When I started law school in 1991, the U.S. economy was in the doldrums. As a result, there was a mass exodus of young people to graduate school. In my case, I had completed a Reserves stint in 1989, graduated from college in 1990, then spent a year teaching and playing rugby in Japan. When the fall of 1991 came around I was a free agent with no obligations. I ended up at Virginia because it was a great school and my family wanted me back home. I took the “One L” classes at UVA, but my real interest was politics. When the 1992 primaries heated up, I was on the road 24/7 working on behalf of Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas. Over the next couple years, my academic record was uneven. I tried to “be professional” but I was more comfortable hanging out in barbecue joints and pubs. To make a long story, I entered my third year spring in 1994 with “NO JOB” — yes, I was one of those folks who failed to impress during interview season and had no prospects for a law firm job. I really didn’t know what I was doing next. (Teaching? Military? Singing?) Along the way, I got a break (kind of). I had a political connection with a lawyer in Danville who became the U.S. Attorney under Clinton. In January 1994, he offered me an internship with the US Attorney’s office in C’ville. It was an unpaid gig but it gave me great experience. In fact, I drafted two Federal appeal briefs and tried two felony jury cases, in the spring of 1994. During that time, I learned something: I enjoyed being in court and I could be good at it. Trying cases to a jury was democracy in real time with all the risks and rewards. That internship was great, but still not paying work. Then in May 1994, I cold-called a small firm in Alexandria. (It was one of dozens of cold calls I made that spring). I actually got a call back and went on an interview. A month later, I was offered a job with that firm at $43,000 a year. I took it in a heartbeat. After ten years away, I was headed back to northern Virginia .. The summer of 1994 was terribly hot. My house in C’ville had no air conditioning, so I spent all my time in the library — studying for the Bar Exam. Yeah, I was nervous. I took the Exam in late July in Roanoke, then spent the month of August traveling in Japan, returning home, and driving across the U.S. with a college friend. I started work after Labor Day with the law firm. For the first time in my life, I was wearing a coat and tie to work. But there was still something missing … One Friday night in late September 1994, I walked into a bar on King Street, looked across the room and saw a beautiful woman. I got her phone number that night. But she didn’t want to go on a date with me, until one day I got a letter from the Virginia State Bar — and I had passed the Bar Exam. I was now a lawyer. I called that girl up again and asked her out, and we’ve been together ever since. And I’m still practicing law (and trying cases) after twenty years. So I guess you could say that 1994 was a pretty big year.
Posted on: Mon, 12 May 2014 18:20:54 +0000
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