'Tis the season (for trials and motions)

Well it's been another crazy week, between the 9 a.m. trial in Logan on Monday morning, the the motion and opposition response due that afternoon, and the two reply memoranda due on Friday, my work week was a blur. I was so glad when Friday night rolled around.

That night was the Utah Minority Bar Association's Awards Banquet. This is our (I'm on the board) big social event for the year. It's alway fun to have an excuse to dress up and schmooze with the Judges and other community leaders. The keynote speaker was Judge Valdez, who is so inspiring. In his book No One Makes It Alone, he recounts the story of his life. He was a young boy selling papers barely surviving when a gentleman gave him the opportunity to work at his printing shop. From there, the man taught him how to play tennis and made him feel like someone believed in him. After he grew up, Judge Valdez lost touch with his old friend. Then, years later, he went to Smiths and witnessed a homeless man about to be arrested for panhandling. Judge Valdez recognized this man, who was suffering from alzheimers, as the man who had helped him as a boy and took him home with him. Judge Valdez took care of the man that he credits with his success and eventually put him in a nursing home. They saved each other in their time of need. It just goes to show what a great impact even a small gesture can have.

Although I haven't proposed the idea to the UMBA president yet, I hope that he will let me organize a mentoring program for disadvantaged youth. UMBA already has a mentoring program for minority law students. I think it is a great program, but I think there is a greater need for mentoring at younger ages.