Wednesday, February 22, 2006

90% Of Success Is Just Showing Up

I've mentioned before how I was fooled into going to law school because of the show "Night Court." Who wasn't seduced into this profession by the nine seasons of one liners, sexual tension, and colorful, nonthreatening defendants? Every case ended the same way, with judge Harry Stone ordering, "$50 plus time served."

The reality is that there would be no more miserable place to work than at a New York City night court. It would be a stream of arraignments, each defendant more anonymous than the last. The only comfort you could take as a prosecutor would be lording your $35,000 salary over the public defender's $32,000

While my class action suit against NBC for falsely inflating my dreams continues, my life goes on.

Just last week I represented a clinic client in court. I had a flimsy grasp on the legal issues and was really dreading doing any arguing. Lucky for me, opposing counsel did not show up. My client beamed because a continuation meant more time before his foreclosure. The judge asked me if I knew where opposing counsel was and I scowled in disgust. Although I am not a great orator or a great legal mind I had one ace up my sleeve: punctual attendance.

"Can we continue this cause of action to a week from now?," asked the judge.

Still bristling on the outside and rejoicing on the inside, I replied, "Your honor, considering their inability to make it here today we should give opposing counsel ample time to get themselves organized. A month perhaps?"

The judge agreed, and thanks to my mere ability to be available my client had a place to live for another month.

In this rare moment of law school joy my thoughts naturally returned to that legal utopia, Night Court. I recalled when Judge Harry Stone explaining how he was selected to be a judge due to his mere ability to be available, "Well, they started at the bottom of a very long list and began calling candidates one at a time. It was Sunday so everyone was out. I was basically picked because I was home."

I thought to myself for a moment, "Hey. I'm pretty good at being available. Maybe even I could be a judge one day."

Maybe the old Woody Allen quote was right and 90% of success is just showing up. Either way, I'll be there on time to find out.