As a Member of the by invitation only American Board of Trial Advocates Bob is a prime example at times of a pig in a tuxedo. He has represented many successful businesses over the years in contract negotiations, estate planning, real estate purchases, family matters, and business planning and litigation.

One would think that he is showing up at a lot of black tie affairs saying the right things to successful people in business and stalking their treasury of legal matters. No, that would be the smart thing to do. This is where the tuxedo on a pig comes in. You see, he really does enjoy successful people and have delighted in being a part of their success.

As human beings, business people are smart, energetic, motivated, well intentioned and often times unthankful to the system of government that got them here to earn the fruits of their fair labor. I can’t tell you how many of my poor friends that became successful became no new tax people (unless it helps me develop a new stadium or something)or people that would do away with the rights of average people to hire lawyer or have a case decided by a jury. Do we really want to trust our lives to corporations or judges?

Wasn’t there a good reason why the right to a trial by jury was part of our Federal Constitution? If we listen to the powerful in this country, we could do away with lawsuits, trust judges or corporations to do the right thing and trust our elected officials to represent us and act in the public interest.

There is a reason why even the powerful should keep us trial lawyers in business. Even their lives and jobs could be in jeopardy if they act upon their conscience and it is unpopular. We should never apologize in this country for doing the right thing. Republican, Democrat, Independant, Muslim, Jew, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu–we are all welcome here.

It just might be your family, your faith, your sexual preference or your nationality that deserves to be protected by the rule of law. Trust our juries. Trust our judical system that allows a jury of your pears to decide your fate.

Do we wish to go the route of Guantanamo for our civil justice system.?

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