Celebrity Attorneys

I LOVE my job! Thus far, life as a law clerk is thrilling. At this point, I've mainly been involved in civil litigation- everything from medical malpractice to corporate real estate transactions. Just this week I've started keeping track of my billable hours. So far I've mainly been taking in new clients, doing initial interviews, researching the case, moving the case along, and keeping the partners and clients updated on my work.

I love helping people; although pressured, I love that people are relying on me! I have clients who call and email me. I was just as surprised as the attorneys and paralegal when a client mailed a manila envolped to the office, and it was addressed to me!

Our firm has two attorneys. Phil practices criminal defense, and Tommy practices civil litigation. Next week, Tommy is on vacation for three days, so I get to do some more intensive criminal work with Phil. While I've done a few client interviews with Phil, our relationship thus far consists of his harassing me at lunch or in the office. The first week he told me that they had costume day at the office and to dress up as a superhero on Friday. When I asked him to take me to jail to meet with clients, he told me that I knew what a jail was like because- don't lie- I've been there before. We cut up together. Life as a professional!

Sometimes I feel sorry for Phil because Tommy more than half the reason people come to the office. Tommy is a celebrity- especially in Rock Hill. Everyone in this town knows and loves him- and I mean EVERYONE.

I was somewhat concerned earlier this week that I was working for one of those TV commercial attorneys- ambulance chasers. This all came about after about the third consecutive interview of a client saying they came to see Tommy Pope because they knew he was good- they had seen him on TV. Of course Tommy used his popism "you don't always believe what you see on TV, do you?" in response.

I was in anxious disbelief over the chance that I had lowered myself to the standard of working for a commercial attorney. Finally I asked Tommy why people had seen him on TV, and was relieved to find that he did not have a commercial! Instead, he has in the past recieved a lot of media attention because he was the elected Solicitor in the 1990s, and because he was the prosecutor on the Susan Smith case. While Phil (who worked in the solicitor's office under Tommy) has only been on Larry King Live, Tommy's TV appearances include shows such as Oprah, Dateline, and A&E. He also starred on a court TV show called "Power of Attorney." The premise of the show is that it is a Judge Judy sort of show that had celebrity attorneys representing the clients. Because of his work on the Susan Smith trial, they would fly him out to hollywood on the weekends to star as one of their "celebrity attorneys," alongside attorneys from other famous cases, such as OJ Simpson. The framed TV poster of the show beside my office, with Tommy looking tough and crossing his arms, makes me laugh everytime I see it. Celebs.

However, if not for my pressuring Tommy to tell me about his media experiences, I would have never known. Both of the attorneys I work with are down to earth, funny, and personable. Everyday at work, we are laughing about something. I also like how straight forward Tommy and Phil are. They have no reservation telling clients that they can do the work without an attorney, or that they are wasting their time pursuing a case. The firm does not charge for initial interviews, and that results in all of us doing a lot of free research and work for people. Like me, the attorneys I work with have a true concern for people, and want to help them fulfill their best interests. Perhaps this is the main reason that when I leave our office at the end of the day, I smile all the way home.

http://www.wistv.com/global/story.asp?s=5083152 - WIS TV report about when Tommy and Phil left the solicitor's office to go into the private practice where I work.