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Stories and Emotion — What Do They Have to Do with California Employment Law?

The answer is everything.  I attended a second trial skills demonstration on Saturday November 21, 2015. The emphasis was on authentic feeling of the client’s story, and even understanding the competing story of the defense not only intellectually, but foremost emotionally. The truth is that we feel first, and think second. I know this is true in my experience of movies, when both my mind and my heart combine to say, “This is true, good, and beautiful.” One of the impacting demonstrations of the skills session was the difference in the standard “opening statement” and the one given from the heart. One must learn not to talk so much like a lawyer before an appellate panel, and more like a human being to other human beings on a jury. Incidentally, such a film is the 2014 movie “Elsa & Fred” with Christopher Plummer and Shirley MacLaine. Watching this film Saturday night reinforced the lessons of earlier that day. Another movie I’m eager to see is “Up in the Air” with George Clooney. This one is about a guy who loves to fire people. So, you see the connection. Here’s the trailer link: Up in the Air.

If You Must Eat, Eat Well, and Never Alone.

I had a lavish lunch at Antonello’s in Costa Mesa with the Knights of the Square Table on Wednesday — a phrase I adopted on entering the private dining room on the second level to meet about 10 other attorneys who get together once a month. I’ve been “elected” [actually, cornered by conspiracy] to be the President of this group next year. My sole duty: to pick 12 great restaurants and collect the fees and pay the luncheon bills, and at the end of year, select the evening venue for the Christmas dinner. Antonello himself joined us for a while to chat. I didn’t know the man even existed. He’s quite the charming restaurateur.

A Touch of Technology and Nostalgia

This week my daughter had her 29th birthday. It caused me to reflect on where I was developmentally at 29.   How very different the world was then. Her’s is a more exciting time with so many new possibilities, most driven by technology.

Finally, this week, I recorded my first marketing video on the combined subject of defamation and privacy at work. I’ve converted my office into a video production studio. But the reality is that YouTube is the most visited internet source for information and entertainment.