At last week’s Generation J.D. launch party, I was once again made aware of how small the Maryland legal community is and how your reputation precedes you.  During normal chit chat with other fellow happy hour launch participants, I became reacquainted with a woman that I used to play indoor soccer with many years ago (back when I was a much younger and much more athletic young lawyer).

During the course of conversation, I met her husband, also an attorney, who I had handled cases with and against, but ironically, never met.  Her husband had just arrived at the happy hour after spending the day in Anne Arundel Circuit Court with a partner at my law firm, jointly arguing for a temporary restraining order.  He was filling in for one of his partners, who I went to law school with.

The reason that I am going to great length to discuss this random confluence of relationships between lawyers that I know, centers on the idea that, as a young lawyer in Maryland, there are only a few degrees of separation between you and the rest of the bar.  Think about it – you are probably only a few degrees separated from the Honorable Chief Judge Robert Bell himself or opposing counsel or the Circuit Court Judge that will be hearing your motion on Tuesday.  And with such a small degree of separation, everyone knows your name.

Are you that attorney that refuses to grant extensions?  Are you the one that refuses to call opposing counsel back?  Maybe you’re the one that has the rules of evidence memorized or the lawyer that always has legal research to support any arguments presented?  Whatever it is, your reputation is who you are as an attorney.  And your reputation starts on Day One.

Remember that the next time you plan to use scorched Earth tactics against opposing counsel or when you will oppose an extension of time.  Protect your reputation and it will serve you for the rest of your legal career.

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