This past Monday, I had the opportunity to accompany a senior associate in the litigation department, on a tag-along to the 17th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida for a hearing on a motion to compel arbitration. Prior to going to the hearing, I helped him research key issues regarding the motion, as well as finding and taking advantage of weaknesses in opposing counsel’s response to our motion. Overall, working with him was a great experience. Not only did he give me great latitude in developing my own arguments, he also incorporated my feedback and research in our response.
The day of the hearing we had lunch with Judge David Haimes, a judge in the criminal division. It was great getting to know him and learning his perspective on the legal market, legal education, and the intricacies of state and federal judgeships. His hearing began soon after lunch was over. Observing him in action turned out to be a great learning opportunity, and his calm demeanor in front of the judge is a style I plan to emulate. Overall, this was an amazing experience.