Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Dentons Bingham Greenebaum LLP
Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, 1990
Why did you decide to enter the legal profession?
While studying abroad in Heidelberg, Germany, during my junior year at Wabash College, I roomed with a wrestler from Harvard who intended to go to law school. My conversations with him, coupled with being overseas, helped me to see that being a lawyer was a good path for me to be of service and make a difference in the community.
If you hadn’t pursued a legal career, what would you be doing?
I likely would have been a professor of history or literature.
Who is someone who has inspired you in your career?
My colleague, John Chappell, who has spent his career practicing in a small community at the highest level. He has never allowed his practice or his approach to the practice of law to be diminished because he was in a smaller community. John told me that this profession is one where we are here to serve people.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
One of my early mentors, Andy Bowman, said two things. One, as a lawyer, you have a duty to be competent in what you are doing. This means you read the statutes, documents, investigations, etc., and truly understand the issues. Second, the only good writing is rewriting. Your work product is a reflection of you. You want your competency reflected at the highest level, so don’t send out an email, memo, motion or contract that you aren’t proud of.
What makes a good lawyer/judge?
A good lawyer has to be a good listener, has to be empathetic and has to be able to solve problems.
Tell us about a “lesson learned” moment you’ve had in your career.
We may think we need to be more detailed in our explanations but sometimes simpler is better to help people understand the issue. Once, when putting on evidence of damages for a client at trial, I made the exhibit very elaborate and ended up not getting all the damages. After the trial, a juror told me that had they better understood my exhibit, the client would have been awarded more damages.
Tell us something surprising about you.
I go to Mass every day. It’s a personal way to know God better, be more spiritual and be a better person. I make certain I’m asking for all the help I need to be the best person, lawyer, husband and father I can be. I’ve been going daily for almost 30 years.
What is something you wish people knew about lawyers?
Clients shouldn’t be disappointed when a lawyer makes a referral because an issue is outside their area of expertise. The lawyer wants to ensure the client has the best possible representation.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.