The beginning

So, after I graduated from law school, I never really thought that I would be interested in criminal defense. Straight out of school, I clerked for a Circuit Court Judge in my home-state of Michigan. At that time, I thought that I would want to work either for an insurance defense firm or for a prosecutor's office. I spent too much time with my job-search narrowly focussed. Michigan's economy has been bad since the late '70's, and there simply weren't enough jobs for lawyers. (Or, conversely, there were too many lawyers!)

When it became apparent that I had stayed too long as a clerk, I took a job at a community defender in northern Michigan. A buddy of mine from school was leaving the job, and he gave the boss my name... After I started working there, there was no turning back.

I am one of the lucky ones that actually enjoys work. I once had a deputy sherrif ask me why I was working defense, and the answer that immediately came to mind was that I enjoy the challenge. Prosecutor's have it fairly easy, it seems to me. Someone else investigates and brings a report to them that summarizes the theory of the case. They have all the resources of the state at their disposal, and have almost always have the upper hand. And they have a tremendous amount of credibility with the public. I think most jurors must think, although they would not admit it, that a person who has been arrested must have done something. Being a defender is a challenge -- there's very little money, the investigation is done almost entirely by the lawyer, and there is that credibility gap.

In any event, after working as a defender for awhile, I found a passion for it. I can't imagine doing anyting else now. At least, in law I can't.