One week to go

So I have oral argument in the Fifth Circuit next week. As always, I'm nervous. When I get nervous, I tend to overprepare, which I am doing yet again. The problem with me is that overpreparation doesn't help. I still get up there and am dumbfounded by the experience. Of course, I have only had two other oral arguments, so I guess that's ok.

Some people say I should stand up there and think about them all being naked to calm myself down. But frankly, that's not such a pleasant thought. I mean, let's face it...circuit judges are generally speaking...well...past their prime. You don't get appointed to a federal appellate court by graduating from law school, or looking good in a black robe (although with Clinton, that may have helped your odds). I think I'd rather not visualize that particular scenario.

Anyway, this argument is actually happening in Austin. That's good and bad. Good because I don't have to travel, and deal with packing boxes, being away from home, etc. Bad because my whole damn office can just waltz on over there to "support" me. And by support, I mean mortify. It's one thing to have the potential to screw up in front of opposing counsel, and three angry republicans (I can say that because I am one). Its a whole other ball of wax to eat crow in front of a room full of my co-workers. Hell, they may hear me and never want to assign me an oral argument again.

My goal for this argument is to either not have anything written about it at all (other than the unanimous opinion of the Court affirming the judgement of the court below), or to at least have something better than "young, blond, talked well but wasn’t sharp legally." It's an admirable goal, I think. Don't you?