I’ve enjoyed reading two short pieces in the past few days.

The first was a charming article that Shelly Collette wrote about her experiences as a young lawyer appearing in two cases before the Supreme Court of Virginia. She writes very honestly about the experience–case in point:

I was almost physically ill my first time at the Supreme Court of Virginia. I excused myself to use the restroom after an argument and discovered that you are not allowed back in the Court until after the argument is finished. I had to wait outside the courtroom and as soon as the doors opened, naturally the next case was mine.

Yikes! Experienced SCV advocates know that it’s critical to factor the Bathroom Rule into your argument prep. The bailiffs will literally lock the courthouse door.

Collette is also quite frank about how intimidating she found the Court, and about the sense of awe that she had about the experience.

Overall, she wrote a nice, feel-goody piece. I’ve always liked the way that writ arguments–and especially the annual traveling writ panel day–expose a range of lawyers to the Court, and there is something neat about hearing lawyers’ reactions to their first shot at appellate advocacy. This stuff is fun, after all.

But then I read the second article: the Curmudgeon’s Breakfast with Easterbrook.Continue Reading The Bathroom Rule and Other Reasons to Choose Experienced Counsel