Being new at this lawyer stuff is no excuse for wandering through the first few months on the job, working on projects and tagging along with a partner. Associates actually have to know something, preferably without looking at a rule book. In my un-humble opinion, here are the five things all newbie Texas attorneys should know without research, questions or even blinking.
1. Letter rogatory, letter schmogatory :This may be the only obscure legal tidbit not covered by the bar exam. My bar exam class had to learn about a rule dating back to the 1800s that allows a sheriff, in the absence of a complete voir dire panel, to wander the streets and force random citizens into impromptu jury duty. But we never learned about letters rogatory. Now, after eight-plus years of practicing, I’ve seen 20 letters rogatory but only one sheriff roundup. Of the 20 people corralled for jury duty that day, maybe three were eligible to be jurors, but that’s a story for another column.
