#32 Wow, This Is Honestly Genius
I’m a corporate lawyer but this was on a pro bono housing matter. My client just needed to not lose her housing, I was trying to get her on one-year probation (but would agree to two) instead of termination. On the day of the hearing, I had six summer associates come with me each carrying huge binders. When my hearing was about to begin, I had them all bring them in and set them in front of me.
The opposing lawyer was a very overworked NYC housing attorney who had budgeted an hour that day for my hearing. She instantly said, “What is this?” I told her it was my arguments. She said she didn’t have the time. I started off on a two-minute opening I had prepared then grabbed one of the binders and she was like, “Let me stop you there. What do you want?” I said three months probation, she countered with a year, ended up agreeing on six months. The binders were all empty.
Credit: LatrellThreewell
