Page 22 - January 2020 BarJournal

FEATURE YOUNG LAWYERS

THE PICTURE OF

A YOUNG LAWYER

BY GRACE MICLOT

s a young (or youthful looking) a professional athlete interrupted the beginning
attorney, one may be subjected of the meeting to ask who I was and what my
to some “interesting” comments purpose was for being at the meeting with
made by opposing counsel, par- counsel and parties.
A ties, and even the Court. While Last week a potential new client called
youthfulness may be coveted in other areas of life, my assistant and was interested in retaining
the area of law is not usually a place where youth- me. However, she demanded to know when
fulness is appreciated or admired. Even if you try I graduated law school, how long I had been
to portray yourself as an older experienced lawyer, practicing, and how many cases I had handled
your bar number usually gives your experience on my own since I started practice. The caveat
level away as soon as you file a pleading. If you here is that I have been able to work with so many
are familiar with the “How People See Me/What wonderful and interesting clients who do not view
People Think I Do” memes, this take on views of a my age as a detriment to my ability to represent
young lawyer may resonate. them. One client kindly wrote to me that I was
“beyond my years.” How I See Me
How Opposing Counsel Sees Me Sometimes I see myself as I pictured I would be
Sometimes when an older opposing counsel sees How the Court Sees Me in law school, with a full suit, horn rimmed glass-
me appear in Court for the first time on a case, I Having worked for four different judges before I es, and ready to take on any case with authority
feel like the antelope in a safari being stalked by started practicing law, I like to think of myself as and confidence, but other times I feel catapulted
the lion. There is some dancing around the matter, very respectful and appropriate for Court. When back to being the one-year-old with the future
many times where they assure me that they won’t I go through security and check in with the Court lawyer bib on (see actual photo of me on my first
be “throwing me under the bus” as the young as- personnel/security, 80% of the time they think I birthday). However, no amount of physical ap-
sociate or inferring that this is a simple case that am a litigant. They often cannot find my name pearance alterations can prepare me to be taken
they would be happy to lead me through. Some because they are looking for it under Plaintiff or seriously at my age, but if I come prepared with
have taken a different approach, such as when I ap- Defendant, instead of attorney of record. When knowledge of the facts and the law (and some
peared with a partner as co-counsel on a case and I bypass that issue, I have to convince the Court thick skin) perhaps I’ll be viewed as more than
opposing counsel referred to us as “a lawyer and bailiffs that I am not a law clerk, but actually at- just a 009 ... bar number.
a half.” The most aggressive approach was when I torney of record. At the start of one hearing I at-
made a request to opposing counsel to refrain from tended as co-counsel with a partner in my firm,
engaging in an activity and he screamed at me to the Magistrate was introducing everyone on the Grace Miclot is an associate attorney
“know my place” and hung up the phone on me. record and when she got to me she referred to me at Meyers, Roman, Friedberg &
The huge caveat here is that I have worked with as the partner’s “helper.” I politely informed her Lewis LPA practicing primarily in the
so many experienced attorneys acting as oppos- that I was actually listed as counsel of record in the area of domestic relations. She
ing counsel who have been respectful, helpful, and case. The partner and I were astounded she would graduated from law school in 2015
very kind. These types of more experienced attor- refer to me in that way, but also thought it was from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and
neys greatly outweigh the “know your place” ones. such a funny description that we jokingly called is licensed to practice in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
me the helper for some time after that. The caveat She is a Cleveland native, graduating from Walsh
How Parties See Me here is that the majority of magistrates, judges and Jesuit High School and John Carroll University and
Many parties are surprised to see that I am so court personnel will go out of their way to treat me has been a CMBA member since 2016. She can be
young when they meet me in person. Once, in a the same as the more experienced attorneys in the reached at (216) 831-0042, Ext. 114 or gmiclot@
full conference room, the opposing party who was room and even give me a little leeway sometimes. meyersroman.com.

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