April 4, 2022. Bench & Bar of Minnesota – a publication of the Minnesota State Bar Association – asked George and other lawyers: “If you could reach back in time to give some advice to your first-year-in-practice self, what would it be?” George’s answer:
My mentors at Gray Plant and Bowman and Brooke—Franklin Gray, Richard Bowman and others—gave me excellent advice when I was a young lawyer. They said to work hard, to do my best work on each case and for every client, and to always be prepared. They encouraged me to work independently and gave me opportunities to engage directly with clients and experts and to get great litigation experiences. They taught me to be a good partner, to be collegial, and to support all members of the team. They showed me how to act ethically and professionally, to deal with adversaries with respect, and to be forthright with clients, judges and juries. Finally, they afforded me time to connect with people and to get involved in and give back to the community.
My mentors were great trial lawyers and role models, while encouraging me to be myself, to find my own style, to be comfortable with my methods of advocacy. I am sure that I have made missteps, but I have tried to follow this advice and I have had an interesting, challenging, and fulfilling career. I could not have provided better advice to my first-year-in practice self, and I have given this same advice to many other young lawyers over the years.
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