Judge Bruns Speaks to Law Clinic Interns
On March 9, 2006, the Honorable David E. Bruns visited with Washburn's Clinic Interns. During this visit, Judge Bruns, who presides in the Shawnee County District Court, shared his experience and observations as both a practitioner and a judge. He began his talk by introducing the class to the four "R's". These aren't the "R's" you learned in grade school, however. These are four "R's" for practicing lawyers to live by. They are: Reputation, Respect, Responsibility and Reasonableness.
Judge Bruns said that a lawyer's Reputation is an umbrella over the other "R's" and that a lawyer should develop a reputation for having the qualities embodied in the "R's". Attorneys should fight the good fight, but leave the fight in the courtroom. He encouraged the Clinic Interns to develop the ability to socialize with their adversaries so that opposed positions do not become personal. This will help develop a collegial reputation among other lawyers.
The second "R", Respect, should be shown to all people – not just attorneys and judges. Judge Bruns noted that a quick way to get into trouble with a judge is to treat his or her administrative assistant poorly.
The third "R" from the judge's list is Responsibility. Part of being responsible is owning up to your mistakes. Usually, the damage caused by a mistake can be minimized simply by taking responsibility for it. Judge Bruns also pointed out that attorneys can minimize mistakes by knowing what areas they are strong in and what areas they should responsibly seek help with. The range of lawyer responsibility also extends to conducting pro bono work. Judge Bruns identified that people who are sometimes referred to as "working poor" can fall between the cracks of societal protections. For example they might not qualify for court-appointed counsel. Attorneys have the responsibility to help fill in those gaps.
The last "R" mentioned by Judge Bruns is Reasonableness. When resolving contested court cases, judges look for the voice of reason. Attorneys who come in with sound positions have an advantage over parties that are fighting over inconsequential matters. Moreover, the judge pointed out that not all problems need to be settled in a court room. When cases are resolved in court, very often one side or both sides are at least somewhat dissatisfied with the result. Parties who come to an agreement before needing to see a judge are very often much happier with the resolution because it is one they have come to on their own.
