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Table of contents<\/h2>\n\n- Can I Still Tell a Relatable Story?\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n
- Can You Relate?<\/a><\/li>\n
- The End Continues<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
So far, so good as a part-time lawyer, especially having determined to only handle good cases for nice people. But lately, I\u2019ve begun to worry my points of cultural reference may have grown stale, making me question if my storytelling skills can still resonate with juries.<\/p>\n
A few examples:<\/p>\n
\n\nParalegal:\u00a0<\/strong> \u201cWow, that client has gone through a lot of changes because of her injuries.\u201d<\/p>\nMe (singing):<\/strong> \u201cCha-cha-cha-changes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\nParalegal:<\/strong> Blank stare.<\/p>\nMe:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cChanges? David Bowie?\u201d<\/p>\nParalegal: <\/strong>Blank stare.<\/p>\nMe: <\/strong>\u201cNever mind.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nAnd, in what I assume but don\u2019t remember for sure, was the right context: <\/p>\n
\n\nMe:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cBeam me up, Scotty.\u201d<\/p>\nParalegal:\u00a0<\/strong> See above.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nI could go on and on, like Gladys Knight (yea, another song). But I won\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Can I Still Tell a Relatable Story?\u00a0<\/h2>\n
These increasingly frequent episodes have me wondering whether the cool stuff or, more importantly, the relatable stuff, has left me behind. Is my frame of reference even relevant nowadays?\u00a0I try to stay current, but maybe I don\u2019t get it. <\/p>\n
And what if I stepped in front of a jury today? Can I still paint a picture for them that doesn\u2019t relate to my dusty references? Maybe I will misuse a current reference and come across as just an old lady trying to be hip.\u00a0After all, my lady-lawyer-going-to-court uniform requires leaving the Doc Martens at home, taking out the nose ring, and covering up the tattoos before standing in front of a jury.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once I remove those items, what I have left is a mop of curly gray hair, age spots\u00a0and the story I tell. I\u2019m not certain whether a jury would get that story anymore, though I like to think so.<\/p>\n
I have always urged young lawyers to be authentic, find their own voice and use it with opponents and clients.\u00a0Being who you are is the only way to real success as a trial attorney. It is far less work and far less stressful than trying to fit the mold of any \u201cideal.\u201d<\/p>\n
But now, I wonder, might I have to find a second identity?\u00a0And what might that be? Would she keep the nose ring in?<\/p>\n
Can You Relate? <\/h2>\n
Outside of the office, I\u2019ve seen the world try to pass me by for quite some time.\u00a0It has been years since I\u2019ve loved the Super Bowl ads. Of course, it\u2019s also been years since the companies paying millions of dollars for those ads cared what I thought. <\/p>\n
And while I am overjoyed when I recognize a few musicians in the weekly emails from ticket services, I\u2019m rarely excited about the artists I\u2019m told I should be excited about. Sorry, Ticketmaster, but I am not excited to learn Keshi is coming to town because I don\u2019t know who he is. I am very excited to learn Buddy Guy is coming to town the day after Keshi, but I fear no one else in my office is excited, or can even tell me who he is. More importantly, I am afraid that no one on a jury would be excited either. Is the old, authentic me too out of touch?<\/p>\n
So far, so good as a part-time lawyer, especially having determined to only handle good cases for nice people. But lately, I\u2019ve begun to worry my points of cultural reference may have grown stale, making me question if my storytelling skills can still resonate with juries.<\/p>\n
A few examples:<\/p>\n
Paralegal:\u00a0<\/strong> \u201cWow, that client has gone through a lot of changes because of her injuries.\u201d<\/p>\n Me (singing):<\/strong> \u201cCha-cha-cha-changes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Paralegal:<\/strong> Blank stare.<\/p>\n Me:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cChanges? David Bowie?\u201d<\/p>\n Paralegal: <\/strong>Blank stare.<\/p>\n Me: <\/strong>\u201cNever mind.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n And, in what I assume but don\u2019t remember for sure, was the right context: <\/p>\n Me:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cBeam me up, Scotty.\u201d<\/p>\n Paralegal:\u00a0<\/strong> See above.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n I could go on and on, like Gladys Knight (yea, another song). But I won\u2019t.<\/p>\n These increasingly frequent episodes have me wondering whether the cool stuff or, more importantly, the relatable stuff, has left me behind. Is my frame of reference even relevant nowadays?\u00a0I try to stay current, but maybe I don\u2019t get it. <\/p>\n And what if I stepped in front of a jury today? Can I still paint a picture for them that doesn\u2019t relate to my dusty references? Maybe I will misuse a current reference and come across as just an old lady trying to be hip.\u00a0After all, my lady-lawyer-going-to-court uniform requires leaving the Doc Martens at home, taking out the nose ring, and covering up the tattoos before standing in front of a jury.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Once I remove those items, what I have left is a mop of curly gray hair, age spots\u00a0and the story I tell. I\u2019m not certain whether a jury would get that story anymore, though I like to think so.<\/p>\n I have always urged young lawyers to be authentic, find their own voice and use it with opponents and clients.\u00a0Being who you are is the only way to real success as a trial attorney. It is far less work and far less stressful than trying to fit the mold of any \u201cideal.\u201d<\/p>\n But now, I wonder, might I have to find a second identity?\u00a0And what might that be? Would she keep the nose ring in?<\/p>\n Outside of the office, I\u2019ve seen the world try to pass me by for quite some time.\u00a0It has been years since I\u2019ve loved the Super Bowl ads. Of course, it\u2019s also been years since the companies paying millions of dollars for those ads cared what I thought. <\/p>\n And while I am overjoyed when I recognize a few musicians in the weekly emails from ticket services, I\u2019m rarely excited about the artists I\u2019m told I should be excited about. Sorry, Ticketmaster, but I am not excited to learn Keshi is coming to town because I don\u2019t know who he is. I am very excited to learn Buddy Guy is coming to town the day after Keshi, but I fear no one else in my office is excited, or can even tell me who he is. More importantly, I am afraid that no one on a jury would be excited either. Is the old, authentic me too out of touch?<\/p>\nCan I Still Tell a Relatable Story?\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Can You Relate? <\/h2>\n