Husband, father, associate… and blogger?

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I started reading The Daily Record shortly after I entered law school. I was always interested in what was happening on a local level in the Maryland legal community in addition to immersing myself in textbooks and outlines. A partner at the law firm where I clerked (and where I am now an associate) had a subscription to The Daily Record, so I would always grab his copy when he was done reading it. I eventually made my way to The Daily Record website, where I discovered its blogs like On the Record and Generation J.D.

I especially enjoyed Generation J.D., because it had young attorneys, just a few years ahead of me, offering candid takes on the trials and tribulations of being up-and-coming lawyers. Whether it was their tales of learning the ropes as new attorneys or juggling large case loads with babies at home, I found their stories to be amusing and insightful.

Fast forward seven years, and I am now a fourth-year associate and married with a rambunctious two-year old. I find myself with an ever-increasing workload and an ever-decreasing amount of time to get everything done. Just about every minute of my day is booked, which might make you think that adding “blogger” to my list of titles is one of my worst ideas. But you would be wrong and not just because there may have been stiff competition in the bad idea department (who could have known the mid-’90s lacrosse mullet was just a fad?).

One thing I have learned in my adult life is that, no matter how busy you are, you still have to make time for things that make you happy. Writing is one of those things for me. Although I probably write enough in a week to fill a novel, it is safe to say that legal writing does not scratch that proverbial itch.

I had been thinking recently about how long it had been since I wrote for enjoyment when, in a bit of serendipity, I came across an interesting blog post by Danny Jacobs on The Daily Record’s website. With a big picture of Uncle Sam at the top, the blog post proclaimed: “Generation J.D. needs you!” It was like he was speaking to me (Mr. Jacobs, not Uncle Sam). “Are you a young lawyer?” Yup. (Well, young at heart. I am 34). “Do you like to write?” I do. “Would you like to write about being a young lawyer?” Sure!

Without giving it a second thought, I threw my name in the hat. Now, here I am, at your service. I am excited for the opportunity to join the Generation J.D. team. I’ve been told I can blog about whatever I want. So, be forewarned: I will probably talk a lot about my wife and son, as well as George, my lazy basset hound. If I tell any “war stories” about the practice of law, names will be changed to protect the innocent (and me). Most of all, I hope that I am able to share stories that resonate in some way with the readers out there the way that the Generation J.D. blog has always resonated with me. Cheers, and thanks for reading!