Public Service, Professionalism & Social Media
Public service is a core value in my life. Part of the fun of social media is that it gives the chance to show the wizard behind the curtain a bit and exhibit the personality and values that drive you. This is a little oblique to construction law, but ultimately these topics intertwine for me in professionalism and community building.
One of the fun parts of being a professional is having the chance to be inspired and awed by the public service commitments of our friends and colleagues. A great example of this is the Architects Anonymous group here in Northern Virginia. Our friend Rae Noritake of Noritake Associates described their pro bono efforts to adapt the Four Mile Run Duron Paint Store into a functional community oriented space. The project not only represents a tremendous potential community improvement, but it also embodies the spirit of dedicated servant leadership stepping up to the plate and transforming the community. The project has been moving through the approval process and will hopefully continue its progress.
Sometimes the chance to serve a cause directly in one's professional capacity erupts on the landscape. A good example of this effort in a professional capacity is the dogged efforts of both MTFA Architecture, Inc. and Bean, Kinney & Korman to support the Views at Clarendon project from its infancy through its various waves of litigation and finally on through funding at the start of construction. It is special when you can link your professional work to community transformation, such as supporting a significant affordable housing project like the Views.
There are plenty of other opportunities outside the direct case and client work. For me, one of my main outlets right now is supporting the various substance abuse programs run by Vanguard Services Unlimited. There is nothing more inspiring than hearing program graduates recount how Vanguard changed the arc of their life from misery to success. Arlington in particular is blessed by a large number of great non-profit organizations. I have been proud to support and volunteer in various capacities for Arlington Food Assistance Center, the Arlington Free Clinic, Leadership Arlington, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and many others.
The best part of all is that being part of the community fabric is part and parcel with being an effective professional. Whether it is an architect or lawyer advocating for a project, knowing the community and having credibility are part and parcel of being effective. The relationships forged through shared work, vision and mission on community building are truly special.
What are you doing to change your world?
Award winning design does not necessarily translate to an effective, successful or liveable built environment. My interest and passion for interesting design is somewhat tempered by my having seen the consequences of projects not matching constructability and coordination with interesting design. As I have previously revealed obliquely in my post on 
Placing all this in the context of the end user, I have lived the first hand experience of a train wreck between architecture as high design versus and living in the end product. I attended Yale University and lived on campus in the Morse College dorm my sophmore year. When most people think Yale, they envision the gothic style architecture which dominates the campus and is ably represented by the imposing shot of Harkness Tower to the above. Morse College is a little different ... designed in a distinctly modern style by architect Eero Saarinen.
The lack of right angles was a physical impediment that ranged from a mere minor annoyance to a constant source of fury depending on how your room lottery worked out. Luckily, our group drew well and my cozy single was pretty workable. The more complex aspect of preparing to live in Morse College was based in social structure. For every other dorm, planning for living arrangements basically called for grouping off in pairs. Sets of best friends could group up into fours for lotteries. There might be an odd person out here or there, but the numerical structure basically fit typical social conventions.
Now that I litigate construction and design issues on a constant basis, I often find myself relearning the experience of living architecture first hand. I am fascinated by the tension between celebrated design and practical performance. I love the aesthetic of Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water, but I will admit to a chuckle regarding the 
We are a bit over three months into our blog and also approaching the end of the year. This always makes me take stock and wax a bit philosophical. Questions of why I do what I do, why I enjoy doing it, and how that compares or contrasts to the rest of the legal profession leads to the question of how clients should pick their legal counsel out of the crowd of lawyers.
What may ultimately be a more important gauge of the effectiveness of a lawyer is to look for demonstrated passion in the lawyer and public command of their practice area. The sad reality is that too many lawyers are not jazzed up to practice law and are not really into their jobs. Especially in the marathon, grinding, and grueling nature of construction litigation, you better be enthused and intense. Looking for publications, speaking engagements, bar association and committee involvement, and active participation in industry related associations and efforts can be a great indicator of both substantive expertise and the lawyer's passion and interest in a particular topic area.
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