A Raise and a Promotion

We have had some turnover in the office in which I work, leaving two attorney vacancies which have just been filled. Before I get to that though, what happened at our annual bar association picnic was pretty cool...my boss told the judge in my court I would be leaving and moving up, and he said, "I understand you've got to do what's best for your office, but Chris has done a great job here and we hate to see him go. We will miss him." Positive feedback from peers and superiors is always a good thing. The judge later told my boss and the attorney who would be replacing me that I am the best Public Defender that court has ever had...good times indeed. :)

Since the policy of the boss and the office is promotion from within (exceptions to this have been very rare), my replacement (Caroline) will take over for me in about a week or two once I move up. She is smart, attentive, and well-qualified, and appears to be a fun and good person to boot...I think she will do a fine job.

Starting September 1, I will be moved into an official State of Tennessee position (my current job, while technically a State of Tennessee position, is funded by the city), which will mean a slight raise above the one I received in July. In addition, I will be responsible for an entire county worth of courts (1 General Sessions/misdemeanor court and 3 divisions of Circuit/felony Court) for at least the next two months. It's a lot of responsibility, but I will get some jury trial experience at the next trial term, and that will be great for my experience and resume. Also, before I try my own jury trials as a first chair, I will get some second chair and observational trial experience to help prepare me further.

My priority, of course, is still the JAG officer position with the Navy for which I have applied. Ideally, I would get a commission this time (sometime around Labor Day) and be in officer school by the end of the year. That said, if I don't get offered a commission this time and have to reapply for the Spring '07 selection board, it would be sometime next year before I would go to officer school. At least this way, I will have some jury trial experience in my pocket going forward, JAG or otherwise. Even though I am not planning to make a career out of criminal defense work and sometimes my clients drive me nuts, I am pleasantly surprised and happy with the office environment I work in and with my colleagues in the local legal community. Things are going well for me now professionally and look even brighter down the road, so I have no complaints. :)