AN APPEAL TO REASON

My goal with this blog is to write about things of interest to trial attorneys from an appellate perspective. You know, preserving the record, making objections, etc. It's not easy trying a case at the superior court level and also trying to think on another level as to what an appellate attorney might need to protect the case. Clear thinking is always required.

Being an attorney is not just a job. It seems to invade every area of our lives. If you go out for a social event, how often does the word "attorney" come out of your mouth during conversation? How often do you spend thinking about your cases? If you are like me, the answer is that you spend a lot of time thinking about your client(s), strategy, the facts of the case, and the legal principles involved. I am sure there are some attorneys who can turn off their brains at 5:00 p.m., but I don't know who they are.

Turning off our brains? Have you ever prepared a brief and then put it aside for a few days or more so that when you come back to it, you can look at it with fresh eyes? I try to take breaks between drafts, otherwise they all start looking alike and I miss errors because my mind fills in the blanks.

To help clear my mind, I decided to sign up for a "silent" retreat at Spirit Rock in Marin County. This retreat is structured specifically for attorneys and focuses on meditation. Most of my Southern California friends tease me about this (while probably silently applauding me) while my Northern California pals have nothing but good things to say about meditation and Spirit Rock. (Perhaps we really should divide this state.) I have great hopes for this seminar. While the seminar is for attorneys, I view it as helping improve my life generally, which translates to improved performance at work. I just don't buy the stereotype of Type-A, workaholic attorneys as always being the best choice.

Now some friends and colleagues doubt that I can survive three days of silence. Bets are being taken even as I write this. I guess we won't have an answer to that question until after the retreat as I won't be talking until then.