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EdChoice Legal Advocates
Indiana University Maurer School of Law, 1994
Why did you decide to enter the legal profession?
My father, Thomas G. Fisher, was a lawyer and then a judge, so growing up I was aware of the profession and what it meant. My dad showed me a world where lawyers were leaders in public affairs. I came to view the legal profession as the critical backing of our social fabric. Lawyers keep society—citizens, businesses, public officials, and even our profession—accountable. I wanted to be part of that.
If you hadn’t pursued a legal career, what would you be doing?
I likely would have pursued graduate training and a career in political philosophy or theology. Who knows, I might well be working at the same company but in a different job.
Who is someone who has inspired you in your career?
I have already mentioned my father, who has inspired me every step of the way. Another inspirational mentor was Seventh Circuit Judge Michael S. Kanne, for whom I clerked thirty years ago. Judge Kanne taught me a lot about what makes a good lawyer—especially in federal court—and about the judicial decision-making process. His character and kindness raised the humanity of everyone he encountered.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
From my father to his callow, idealistic college-age son: “Get your degree first and then save the world.”
What makes a good lawyer/judge?
Sharp intellect, attention to detail, common sense, and the capacity to employ rules and reason over preferences and emotion in arriving at legal conclusions. Most fundamentally, good lawyers and judges care and think deeply about the law and the legal system. They understand that, while clients may be adversaries, lawyers and judges are not—they are partners in a shared enterprise, the best ever devised for preserving both public order and individual liberty. For that system to work properly, good lawyers—especially judges—must develop and adhere to a sound jurisprudential philosophy grounded in neutral principles.
Tell us about a “lesson learned” moment you’ve had in your career.
After I spent several unsuccessful hours researching an evidentiary question on Westlaw, Judge Michael S. Kanne walked me to the library, pulled a treatise off the shelf, and in two minutes located a cache of on-point authority. It was a lesson about the value of treatises, yes, but more critically about the value of experience in conceptualizing (and then resolving) challenging legal issues.
Tell us something surprising about you.
About eight years ago I took up powerlifting. Personal records include a deep squat of 545 lbs., a parallel squat of 585 lbs., a bench press of 275 lbs., and a deadlift of 445 lbs.
What is something you wish people knew about lawyers?
More lawyers equal more ordered liberty under law.
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