Advice to New Attorneys

Earlier this month a new crop of attorneys in Texas came into being, by virtue of passing the July 2018 bar exam.  About the same time I was looking at a composite photo of the Hidalgo County Bar Association from 1999.  I was struck by how many of the attorney I knew that were still here but also the number that had died/moved on/gone to jail/etc.

So after 26 years, I think I have some perspective to offer some advice.  Most of it is probably what I call Mother-In-Law advice, practical wisdom that you probably either already know or could have figured out if you only took the time to think about it.


1.  We're all in this together.  While the competition never seems to go away for jobs, money, prestige, recognition, remember that we share a bond of professionalism that goes above any base wants.  Consider the other person as an equal, even if you have opposing views.



2.  Take good care of yourself.  This career is a long haul, akin to the tortoise and the hare.  Pace yourself for a long career, and you will likely have one.  You'll be surprised at how many flame out along the way.


3. Always be willing to learn more.  Just when you think you have it down, the law will change, or the market will change, or the technology will change.  There will be a number of career moves you'll have to make.  Be willing to act before the ball starts rolling and you can't outrun it.


4.  Stay involved with your law school alumni.  As time goes by, there will be fewer and fewer of you, and those bonds will be strengthened by some regular contact.  Plus it is always a good reminder of where you came from and how far you have come.  Be proud of your accomplishments.



Thanks to my Mother-In-Law JoAnn who always has some smart, practical wisdom.  I won't forget the encouraging note she sent me after some early setbacks in law school.  Mind you, I was only the fiance then.  Her confidence helped me to press forward, and I'm proud to say I really came back stronger than ever.

Golf with Ed

Last weekend I wanted to play golf while in Houston and let my father Ed know.  That Sat. afternoon, we went to where it all began for me, the Houston Country Club.  Ed didn't play but drove around the cart.  He said I would play from the 3 star tees (what we used to call the Old Man tees) and see if I could break 80.  I thought that was a tall order.

So I gave it a good go, and shot 83.  Power of a lofty goal.  Even playing from the forward tees, I still tended to aim for the same fairway areas.  I did hit the driver well but the greens were much faster than I expected.  As Ed said, "if you had not have 3 putted, you would have broke 80."  True, with 3 putts for bogey on 12, 14, 16 and 17.  Still, a very good and fun round.

The highlight hole is Number 8, which is like a remodeled room in an old house.  What was once a quirky par 5 is now a stout risk/reward part 4.  I hit a great drive and 8 iron on the green and 2 putted for par.

I did recall many good rounds with my late friend Robert Koelsch there.  Also I had never noticed how many of the greens are elevated about 4 feet.  Funny the things you notice.  Some things don't change.  Same staff, same members, same logo.  A good afternoon.

Popes for Dopes - The Fisherman's Tomb

Book Review:  The Fisherman’s Tomb, by John O’Neill

A Modern Take on “Popes for Dopes”

By Gregory Turley, Class of 1987

Washington and Lee Alumni from the last 50 years will fondly recall the late Professor J.D. Futch III’s spring term history class  The Papacy Since the Schism, also known as “Popes for Dopes”.  Were this class to continue today, the Good Doctor would definitely approve of adding the book The Fisherman’s Tomb by John O’Neill to the required reading list.  It’s a story of international intrigue, a string of 20^th Century popes, a Texas oilman, and the search for the actual grave of St. Peter, one of the twelve disciples.

For nearly 2,000 years, legend was that St. Peter, the first head of the Church was buried underneath St. Peter’s Basilica in what is now Vatican City.  But no one knew for sure.  In 1939 tombs were found underneath.  Pope Pius XII wanted to investigate but was lacking in money as well as political will.  If the search were a failure, it would raise more questions than answers about the beginning of the Church in Rome.  A search needed to be secret, and it needed to be paid for secretly.

George Strake, Sr.  made his millions in the Conroe, Texas oil field.   A devout Catholic, he financed many special projects of the Catholic Church over the years.  When Pope Pius XII sent his emissary to Houston in 1940 to request the financial support for this secret archaeological excavation to find St. Peter’s tomb, Strake basically agreed to an unlimited budget with the requirement that his participation be kept a secret.

Ten years later, in 1950, Pope Pius XII announced the results of the search.    But yet, the bones found were nearly forgotten again for years.  In 1958, a new leader emerged named Margarita Guarducci to decipher ancient inscriptions and clues and the search continued for years longer.   A bitter internal struggle inside the Vatican walls ensued and it was not until 2013 that Pope Francis announces the formal conclusion. 

Now, the Scavi Tour of the Vatican Necropolis is a popular tourist attraction.  The book is a fast paced story of the search itself and more importantly, the result of the search.  Indiana Jones himself would be proud to tell such a story.

John O’Neill is the also the  author of  the 2004 bestseller, Unfit for Command:  Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry.  A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he is a Vietnam Veteran and longtime attorney in Houston.   He credits his legal research skill in helping to get the bottom of this Da Vinci Code-like mystery.

Professor J.D Futch III taught History at Washington and Lee University from 1962 to his retirement in 2011.   Before his death in 2017, he once quipped “Were I elected to the Holy Office, I would take the name of Pius.”  A story involving not only his 20^th century “namesake” Pius XII, but continuing for nearly a century to  Paul, John Paul , Benedict and Francis certainly makes the classic history lectures come alive once more.

Gregory Turley is an attorney in McAllen, Texas and author of the books Always Patty and Hideaway.  While he did not take the “Popes” class in the 1980s, he does aspire to teach it one day.

Turley2.0@gmail.com

Robert Stuart Koelsch (d. 9/17/2018)

Robert was the type of person that made you want to be a friend of his.  He was comfortable around a wide range of people, and had very few sharp edges.   He had a fun sense of humor and a welcoming smile.

Robert was from a fine old Houston family.  His father Philip was a career US Navy officer, rising to the rank of Admiral.  He had one sister Frances "Frannie" he was close to.

Robert was a lawyer in Houston for many years, starting with the District Attorney's office in 1987 and then moving to private practice 5 years later.  For many years, he was a solo practitioner in Houston and worked in the same office with another solo attorney and friend Sellers Thomas.  He even ran for the Supreme Court of Texas as the Libertarian Party candidate  (R.S. "Roberto" Koelsch) in 2012.

In 2003, Robert and his wife Julie moved to her hometown of Waco, TX where they lived for a number of years.  Robert commuted back and forth to Houston.  They did later divorce, and Robert moved to Lago Vista, Texas, where he established himself as a member of that small community.

He had two sons Philip and Hal and was involved with them during their formative years.  It was important to him that they attend his same school, Kinkaid in Houston.

Robert was a very smart person and attended the University of Virginia for two years before returning home to the University of Texas from where he graduated.  He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta  fraternity at both universities.  He then attended and graduated from South Texas College of Law.

Robert was a member of the Houston Country Club for many years and was an avid Saturday golfer, usually teeing off at 1:48 p.m. and walking the full 18 holes.  He was very generous with his time and personality.  He liked to be active physically and one of his weekly activities was mowing the grass of family property in the outer part of Houston.  He was also a longtime Episcopalian and was member of the church in both Houston, Waco and Lago Vista.

Adulting

The Millennials have coined a new verb - "To Adult" eg. to behave in a manner of an adult, typically referred to in terms of  paid work, family and financial responsibility, and general Real World living.

It made me think of the changes from our Generation X (born 1965-1975) experience.   Then you had an expectation to go to college, but only for the requisite 4 years.  Grad school was not for everyone back then, so the expectation was - Get a job and stay there for a good long time, just like your parents.  It was not easy to find work and it didn't get much easier once your were working, so opportunities were not as plentiful.  People didn't move around as much as they do now.

Now it seems that many more people go to college and grad school both.  As I have mentioned, staying at the same job is not as common.  And many more opportunities, perhaps so many, that some people remain underemployed while thinking they are looking for something better online.

College Football Saturday

It's a quiet day at home after going to a yoga class this morning.  That was good to be around some friends and get some activity in.  The Sweat Surrender.  It has been a while since I've done some good physical exercise, so glad to be back.

This afternoon and evening, I'm going some cooking at home and watching football.  Now is Oklahoma State v. Boise States.  Earlier I saw Syracuse beat Florida State.  Then tonight, there will not only be Texas v. USC but also Alabama v. Ole Miss and Ohio State v TCU. 

TCU is playing at AT&T Stadium and it made me think that UT has played there very few times.  So I have not seen a game there.  The last time there was Texas v. Arkansas and the Big 12 Game, both in the Mack Brown years.

Hopefully we will get back to the top 10 and back to Jerry World.

Top 10 Concerts Seen

1985 - REM

1983 - the Police, also 2007

George Strait - Las Vegas - 2016

Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw - 2012 - Reliant Stadium

ACL Live - Boz Skaggs

Aaron Watson - Los Fresnos Rodeo

Garth Books - 1991

Van Halen - 1981

Madonna - 1987

Elton John - 2017

Tom Petty - 1985