Time sneaks up on you in life and so it is in the legal profession. Just last week Bob and I participated in a mock trial for the members of the Prince George's County Bar Association. We tussled over a fact pattern involving a crash between a motor vehicle and a bicycle in a crosswalk. Four other trial lawyers and the Honorable John Davey participated and the seminar was well-attended and reportedly well received.
I mentioned to Bob that this seemed familiar from a past seminar and he said "yep nineteen years ago in the ceremonial courtroom." It then dawned on me how long Bob has been serving his local bar association, more than twenty years. He was first selected as one of the trial practitioners to speak at the seminar and demonstrate his skills and then in 2000 became the Tort Law Committee Co-Chairman.
He noted that he had been Chair and Co-Chair for a decade or so when he tried to pass on the mantle to another well-respected trial lawyer, who proved too busy to put in the time to organize a regular seminar and wrangle participants. The next thing he knew he was being coerced back to head the committee by a member of the bench who opined that "people are getting sloppy habits in the courtroom Bob we need you."
So, more than half of Bob's career has featured him planning seminars and conscripting lawyers and judges to participate here in Prince Georges County.
Let's hope his best practices rub off on another generation of trial lawyers.
