But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will.
- Sam Cooke
Hi, folks. It sure has been a long time. I quit blogging right after law school, and although I toyed with the idea once in a while, I've never started back up since then. But lately I've felt like this could have a place in my life again. I see a lot in my new job, and I have a lot of thoughts looking back on my last job, that this kind of outlet could help me process and express.
I know quite a few people followed this blog back in the day, but without some kind of lingering automatic subscription, it's unlikely any of them will see this. That doesn't bother me one bit: I figure this will be a gradual ramp-up and I'm happy for some anonymity while I work out the kinks.
In fact, I won't mind if the anonymity lasts a lot longer than that. When I went away to law school and left family members craving details of all my distant adventures, blogging was a perfect way to keep everyone updated. But the most helpful part was always the writing, and I expect that to hold true even without a ready-made audience.
Here are some things I'd love to think through here:
- Until recently, I worked as a prosecutor in a court that's now accused of practices amounting to debtors' prison. I certainly saw state laws and court procedures that unfairly disadvantaged poor people, and I couldn't agree more that they have to change. At the same time, I worry that everyone involved with that court will be painted with the same brush, when in fact an internal struggle was always raging, with many people willing to buck the system in favor of people's rights and just outcomes. I hope their experience on the ground results in the credit and input they deserve as a part of the much-needed change to come.
- That is by no means the only controversy related to criminal prosecution to arise during and after my time in that job, and it's so hard to reconcile the undeniable facts about systematic bias in the profession with a very positive personal experience. There's so much I have yet to sort out.
- Trial advocacy: I spent eight months doing it almost constantly, then two and a half years doing it every month or so, and now I watch multiple civil trials a week as a staff attorney to two judges. I've started helping out with a trial skills course that one of my judges instructs at the local law school, and it makes me realize how much experience I gained in a few short years and how many attorneys still struggle with the basics. I'd love to use this space to explore some strategies that should be more widespread and might be worth passing on to students if I get the chance.
- Homeownership: I've had two very different experiences with this in rapid succession, and despite requiring more elbow grease, the second time has been much better. I'm tired and have come close to biting Russell's head off a few times, but I love the outcome and take pride in the skills I've gained. I would love to share some of that process in case it helps others avoid pitfalls and reach the same satisfaction we have.
- In a sad twist, homelessness—the very opposite situation—was a key issue in my job for most of the past three years. My work assignment as a prosecutor brought me into very close, almost unparalleled contact with the people experiencing homelessness in Austin. I gained so much perspective on that problem, but even more appreciation for the difficulty of solving it. Now that I'm out of the trenches, I want to relay my experience into some kind of beneficial action, but I have yet to figure out what it should be.
- Relatedly, I've had some opportunities to involve myself in local politics and I want to do more of it. This would be a fun place to strategize and chronicle that process, which should ramp up quickly now that one of my most awesome law school classmates is running for public office.
- Lastly, for a few years there, my world was rocked by some serious loss and change. A few of my all-time toughest experiences—seasonal depression, my mom's brain tumor—were discussed here. Others—an abusive boss who wrecked my first year as a lawyer, the death of my peerless Nana—happened after I quit blogging. All of these were interspersed with major life events that, however positive, still made for great stress and upheaval: planning a wedding, taking an overseas honeymoon, buying one home and then another. Coping and adaptation were my most vital life skills for a while there, and although things seem to have calmed down, you can never know for sure. I'd like to process some of what I learned in case it benefits anyone, and also in hopes of making it clearer and easier to access in the future.
I know these are lofty goals, and maybe I'll wind up focusing on just a few of them. But for now, while I feel out whether this is worth taking up again, it's plain to see there are at least seven reasons why it is.
