BAEC Bulletin | May/June 2022 | 5
Letter from the President
Since this is my last newsletter to you before returning to my status as a civilian, I feel compelled to give you some important and meaningful advice. I once attended a CLE with a nationally- known trial lawyer. The expert trial lawyer said that, in any closing argument, we should tell the jury three things — not two, not four, but three. Arguing three points to the jury would be the secret to our success, he preached. I attempted this approach in the first trial I had after the seminar. In my closing argument I held up three fingers and counted off the three points I had to make. We won. A few days later, I saw the court reporter, an old friend, who told me that she had discussed the verdict, which was somewhat unexpected, with a few of the jurors after the trial. “Was it my three-pronged closing argument that carried the day?”, I asked. “No,” she said. “they liked your long fingers.” Whether it is the power of three or my long fingers counting to three, I leave you with these three thoughts: Think long, not short. I’ve read that many of the problems faced by corporations today stem from an overreliance on management by quarterly profit statements. In trying to squeeze out every penny of profit, every quarter, businesses fail to anticipate or to adequately plan for the future. I see the same trend in our law firms. Not everything can be measured or counted. In trying to make the most money we can right now, we deemphasize or ignore all together some really important processes — mentoring, training, diversity, culture, collegiality, service, commitment to the community. Yes, our young people need fair compensation, but they also need these non- financial lessons we can facilitate. Yes, our more established lawyers merit fair compensation, but they also need to give back, to return to doing what makes this a noble profession. We don’t need to wring every last penny out of this business. Find something beyond your strict legal work that engages you. When I was our firm’s hiring partner, I was frequently asked what I sought in a candidate. I often answered that I was looking for an individual who was passionate — passionate about something, passionate about anything — it didn’t have to be law-related. Now I am often asked what makes a good lawyer. While I can’t provide the entire list of qualities necessary in this limited letter, part of the answer includes being engaged in something bigger than ones-self. My engagement this year has involved racial justice. The struggle for
HUGH M. RUSS, III President Bar Association of Erie County
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