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April 8th, 2016
1991. It was a year marked by turmoil and constant change. American soldiers poured into Kuwait as the Gulf War began. The Soviet Union collapsed. Fighting in Yugoslavia marked the beginning of a conflict that would stretch into decades.
But a little closer to home, in Charleston, W.Va., I was facing a change of my own. For four and a half years I had been working for the Supreme Court in Charleston. I began as a law clerk for Justice Thomas Miller, a gifted lawyer and a truly brilliant jurist. As a law clerk, I did legal research and a lot of writing, mostly opinions, speeches and handouts for conferences where the judge was speaking. It was a challenging and rewarding experience. Then I accepted a job as the director of magistrate courts, a job that brought a new set of challenges. I helped oversee the magistrate court system—more than 350 court employees serving in all 55 counties. I traveled a lot, which meant I got to see quite of bit of West Virginia in the process. I was also able to teach on a fairly regular basis, fulfilling a lifelong dream of mine. There was a lot to love about my job, but I longed for something new.
I remember the day Jim and Linda Bordas stopped by my office at the capitol building. They had a case scheduled for argument that day. But before leaving town, they made it a point to see me and to ask if I might be interested in coming to work for their law firm. Linda and I had gone to law school together, and I had actually worked for Jim one summer as a law student. I knew the chemistry was right. But was it the right time to go?
My wife and I talked, prayed and sought advice from people we trusted. In the end, we believed that a move from Charleston to Wheeling was the right thing to do. My wife served as the "advance team," driving up to Wheeling again and again to hunt for a house and make the rest of our onsite preparations. There was a house that both of us loved. We made an offer, but somebody else outbid us. We were devastated. But before long the house was back on the market and we grabbed it up as fast as we could. All of the pieces were falling into place. In March 1991, we packed up our belongings and headed north for our new adventure--me, my wife and my two young daughters.
The move went smoothly and on April 1--yes, that's right, on April Fools Day--I officially began my legal career at Bordas & Bordas. As you can imagine, the firm was much smaller in those early years. In fact, there were only four other lawyers when I joined. I met my new secretary, Eleanor, on the first day and we've been together for the entire 25 years. Boy, does she have a few stories she could tell! But because she's a friend and a loyal employee she probably won't. Probably...
In the first year or two I had a wide-ranging practice. Like most lawyers, I did deeds, contracts, and title work. I did legal research and writing. I even dabbled in trial work--a handful of simple cases to get my feet wet. I remember trying a case involving a contractor who was bilked by the owner of a construction project. I also tried a case where a parked car careened down a hill and smashed into an apartment building.
Those were great learning experiences for me, but I felt like I should play to my strengths. For most of my 25 years I've devoted my time to legal research, writing and oral argument, especially appellate work. I've appeared in over 45 appeals in courts across the southeast. I've personally argued 15 of them. I know most of the Bordas & Bordas lawyers thrive on the energy and excitement of trial work. But, for me, arguing an appeal is the most exciting thing a lawyer can do. I love the intellectual challenge of it. I love answering the court's questions and making the best, most compelling argument possible. I also love the possibility of making new law that could help injury victims years and years into the future.
As you can imagine, a lot has changed in 25 years. Years ago, getting a research assignment meant driving to the nearest law library and reading case books--lots and lots of case books. Now everything I need is only a mouse click away. Technology has affected almost every part of the practice of law. Computers have made the brief writing process much easier. Not only can you edit your brief, you can also share your edits with others lawyers involved in the case, receive their edits, and share comments back and forth. When the brief is done, you don't even have to leave the office to file it. Almost all court filing is now done electronically.
The firm itself has gone through many changes, too. It's gotten big. Really big! The Wheeling office had plenty of unused space when I began. As the firm grew, the basement, the garage, and even parts of the attic were converted into offices. We added new lawyers, of course, but we also added more and more support staff, including secretaries, paralegals, bookkeepers, and IT specialists. We also opened offices in three new locations. The first was in St. Clairsville, Ohio, which is where I've been working for the last two years. Moundsville was next. The firm refurbished a historic bank building next to the courthouse. More than a year ago, the newest office opened in Pittsburgh. In a span of 25 years, the firm has grown to the point that it boasts more than 40 employees and a bustling tri-state practice.
I'm older now. And as my pictures will confirm, I'm grayer too. I've seen a lot of change. I'm sure there's more change lurking around the next corner.
But that's OK. I've watched how Bordas & Bordas responds to change. They adapt. They grow. They thrive. Whatever the future holds, I know our firm will embrace the change. And they'll succeed. And I plan to be around to see it!
