president’s message
Wade's Excellent Adventure: Lessons In Diversity
By Wade H. Watson III
Caldwell & Watson LLP
[email protected]
S
ome days in the practice of law in Atlanta are more
instructive than others. This was such a day.
great day, the client later told me.
Returning to the office, I searched in vain for an appropriate
billing code to enter on my time sheet. I was interrupted by
the receptionist who announced that Joan Smith was on the
phone. “Who is Joan Smith?” I wondered. Then I thought
about a case I had just started with some Valdosta lawyers
with the firm of Smith, Smith & Smith; maybe Joan was related
to them. I took the call. “How’s it going, Wade, and how are
Harmon and the rest of your partners doing?” the voice said
cheerfully. “Great,” I said as I tried to identify the voice. She
went on talking and I continued to give monosyllabic responses
until she said, “You have no idea who I am, do you?” “No I
When I arrived at the appointed time, the parking lot was don’t,” I confessed. She chuckled and said, “Well, you used
full of men of south Asian descent, standing around talking. to know me as John Smith.”
Somehow they knew immediately that I was in unfamiliar
territory. They directed me inside the temple where I was An uncomfortable silence followed. Using my powerful skills of
instructed to remove my shoes. The client, who was dressed deductive reasoning, I realized that this had nothing to do with
in a beautifully embroidered tailored white suit in the Indian Smith, Smith & Smith in Valdosta. “Uh…Uh...,” I said. I then
tradition, soon greeted me. We waited in a hall where a remembered John Smith, a prominent and successful Atlanta
group of bronze young men, with shaven heads and wearing lawyer, who had generously given of his time to consult with
nothing but loin cloths wrapped around their torsos, were me on a difficult case several years ago without charge. I was
standing guard in front of the room where we were supposed pondering what this meant and what to say. Then she rescued
to have our audience with the guru. After a short time, the me. She explained that even though she had what most would
guru’s attendants ushered us into a room where the guru consider a happy successful life--married with two kids, a
was seated on a raised platform. Everyone in the room was great practice and lots of friends--something was wrong and
either kneeling or prostrate before the guru. I was directed she had to make the change. She said she made the change
to do the same and complied, kneeling next to the client. anticipating that she might lose her law practice. She said she
Several minutes of rapid conversation between my client and personally called each client to tell them she was now Joan
the guru followed. I understood nothing. Then suddenly, the and not John. She rejoiced in the fact that she had not lost a
guru extended his hand to me, and I instinctively grasped it. single client, and she recounted a humorous conversation with
a farmer from Unadilla whose only response to the news was,
Grasping the hand of the guru, I learned quickly, was the “Does this mean that I won’t get my money?” She assured him
wrong move. I discerned my error from the way in which she would still try to get his money for him, and he was satisfied.
the guru recoiled and the supplicants in the room let out an
audible gasp. The client was momentarily horrified, but then She was calling me because she wanted an appointment to
the guru continued speaking. The client began to beam. The discuss a personal legal issue she was facing. We agreed to
guru then said to me in English that the client’s case was meet for lunch. My mind wandered. “What do your children
just and that we would prevail. I promised to do my best for call you?” I asked. “Joan, of course,” she replied. I had no
him. I was handed a small package of cashews that had further questions.
been specially blessed, and was directed outside. It was a
The client was most insistent. It would not be possible for
us to win his case unless I received the blessing of his guru.
The guru would be in town for a special appearance. He
and I needed to appear together so that he could present
his case. He gave me the date, time and an address in
Clarkston. I attempted to explain that his case, a dispute
over an investment in real estate, would be decided upon
legal principles and evidence, and could not possibly be
influenced by his guru. “Be on time,” he said.
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THE ATLANTA LAWYER
October 2013
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association