The remarkable, yet humble trial lawyer always inspired me to become a trial lawyer, James J. Hagerty (aka "Grandpa Jim"). After a dozen years of fighting for clients myself, I was in the need of some inspiration. Who better than the man who brought honor to this great, and sometimes grueling profession? Last week, I sat with Grandpa Jim in his living room in North Palm Beach, Florida. He shared with me the story of his last trial. The Attica Prison Riot Trial. He represented the widows of two inmates who were murdered by prison guards, as they stood in the yard, both unarmed, both pressed against the wall, defenseless. Of the more than 100 Attica cases, he was the only attorney who stayed on the case from beginning to end. Eighteen years. It took eighteen years for them to finally have their day in court. He talked to me about humanizing the killed inmates. The video footage of the shootings set the tone for the trial, and in the end, the entire courtroom was in tears. It truly was a massacre. After my prodding, he eventually disclosed to me that his two were the highest verdicts in all of the lawsuits. What amazes me most, is that twenty years after retiring, he still takes so much pride in the high-quality efforts he poured into each of his cases. His perseverence continues to fill me with the fuel I need to keep up this fight. Grandpa Jim knew that when society cages individuals in prisons, they are not stripped of their worth as a human being. Everyone should have a lawyer like him, and hopefully, one day, I will fill those precious shoes. Here's to the real trial lawyers.
A Real Trial Lawyer, My Grandfather
February 3, 2011
