After hearing I was heading back into trial, a lovely friend from kindergarten urged me to retire. What more do you need Karen. What more do you have to prove. You deserve to relax and spend more time being a grandma. All good and valid points.
Read MoreAt first I thought, well Karen - how ridiculous that you would think that you should get award and be mad that you didn’t. As a woman raised in the 60s - we were taught not to be forward, not to expect, to do good work, hope we would be recognized, and not be disappointed when the much louder boys got noticed instead.
But that 60s meek attitude is not how you claw to and survive at the top in the paternalistic world of lawyers. Plus I was raised by parents who believed that if you didn’t fight for yourself and others, then what was the point.
Read MoreFor sentimental reasons have been hanging on to the last few pairs. Actually wear a few of them in trials this year. But as 2022 comes to an end. So does my desire (mostly) to ever wear high heels again.
It started in earnest in the disco years. Attended the U of W refusing to wear the uniform of jeans and flats. Can remember walking across red square (which is brick) on my toes - even in the rain.
Read Moreaving an expressive face does not have to be a disaster.
But when I was a young lawyer, I had not quite figured out how to control it. And this got me into trouble.
Read MorePostscript: I intended to only share this with my family. But after an evening of thought decided that being real means sharing not only the good and bad, but also the humiliating. Because we are all in this thing call being human – together.
May 13, 2021.
I’m walking to home depot. Along the perimeter of Central Park West.
Return call from Rosemary. She is getting tested for covid so she can go to Hawaii. Needs to call me back. 5 minutes later am at Columbus Circle. Phone rings.
We chit chat about the test for one minute. And then here’s how it goes:
RM: I have something serious I need to talk to you about.
Read MoreFrom: M
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2021 11:23 AM
Hi Joe, Karen, and Ray:
Despite our failed mediation, I am still confident we can get this resolved. After mediation, I ran several different settlement numbers through the L&I formula to show S’s carrier how much each settlement number would yield to J. As much as you want to get paid, I’m sure your focus is getting a reasonable amount in J’s pocket.
Am trying to show empathy to our new associate who has been working long hours. Encourage him to make sure to take a day off. During firm meeting raise the issue of not working too much . Then Stritmatter crashes the party.
Strit: I’m going to derail this conversation. My father and I worked 7 days a week. That’s how I was raised. Work comes first. If you want to be a great lawyer you have to work a lot.
Read MoreIt’s too early to stop and smell the roses. But am out on the deck, moving pots around. Preparing for spring planting.
Am wrestling with a big pot. Bent over in a squat. Feel a prick on nose and stand up. This is bad.
Read MoreOne month after trial has ended - am still keyed up. Aggressive. Hostile. If you look at me the wrong way will absolutely light into you.
During our monthly firm meeting confess how mad I am still at the defense lawyers being mean to our plaintiffs. Can hardly stand to see their names even in emails.
Read MoreI delegate the job of arguing legal motions and jury instructions to Andrew Ackley. He has this chore most days after trial and several full working days. At first sit at counsel’s table and watch him. But as the trial progresses, as soon as the trial day ends - bolt out of the door. Do not have the bandwith to listen to the tortuous exercise of compiling jury instructions nor the constant barrage of motions. Andrew is excellent. By dividing up these responsibilities can give full attention to preparing for the next trial day.
Read MoreSeptember 12, 2018
12.44 am Complete another deposition designation.
1:30 Conk out
7:00 Wake up. Today is marked off as a day I will not be working.
7:30 Return to computer on kitchen table and work. Massive trial paperwork deadlines due tomorrow.
9:00 Go for run with Nala because it is the only time that will be possible.
Read MoreThe courtroom is filled with black and gray suits. Andrew is fiddling with the projector. Camera person sets up. Reporter sits down. I pull out my computer. Get it ready. The projector is a no go - but we've brought our own. Andrew switches them out. I plug in my computer. Mess around with the clicker. Battery works. But the back won't close. Ah. There it goes.
Click back and forth on a few slides. Works. Look up. Turn toward the back of the courtroom and see Cristina and Alysha. They've come to watch.
Read MoreI believe that lawyers take too much credit when a trial is won and too much responsibility when a trial is lost.
Of course this is our j.o.b. We are in it to win it. Our client's well being is our number one top absolute priority. And regardless of the reasons why sometimes we cannot convince the judge or jury of our position - it totally bites when we lose.
Read MoreOh goodie. Oh goodie. Yay. Yippee.
We are up here at the cabin. Am looking out the window in the living room. Watching her carry the little blue kayak down the hill. She is trying to mimic Sol who balances the big kayaks on top of his head. Oops. There it goes over to the left. She hefts it up. Then it slops over again. She looks like a wobbly blue turtle as she makes her way down.
Read MorePsychodrama is popular in trial lawyer circles. This weekend it is taught at our trial lawyer convention. I do not attend. Happily.
I don't care for the term psychodrama. I've heard many good reviews from friends and colleagues. I know many of the people who teach it. But honestly, just hearing the word psychodrama causes a bit of a nose wrinkling reaction deep within me.
Read MoreK: Catherine - I just tried to log into the blog and it won't let me.
C: I'll figure it out.
K: Thanks
C: Gently prodding: you haven't written anything for a while, I've been checking the stats.
J.R.: Hi Karen, I thought of you when reading the SuperLawyer Top 10. Are you the first woman to do this? CONGRATS!
K: Uh.
Go to www.superlawyers.com top list for Washington. Interesting. Appear to be in the top 10. Walk down hall to Catherine's room.
Read MoreThe past four days have involved a bit of whining. I admit to this.
My clients stoically go through medical horrors. Their family and friends often say: they never complained. They truly are heroes.
I on the other hand have made it one of my missions in life to tell it like it is.
Read MorePrologue: The best and worst outfit I ever wore to the Hollyball was when I was President of WSTLA. It was an election year. We were fighting for the insurance fair conduct act. And if you added to all that -raising my girls and handling my job...well....There was no time for shopping.
The theme was the Red Hot Hollyball. And I was determined to do it right. So a few days before the big event, I went online. Promdresses.com or some such website. Found a red hot hollyball dress.
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