In 1994, I was a briefing attorney at the Texas Supreme Court. When my co-clerks and I looked at the briefs and sat in the courtroom listening to arguments, we often thought the lawyering wasn’t especially good. In our chutzpah, we thought we could do at least as well, if not better.

Now, in 2011, I am older. In theory, I am wiser. I look at the Supreme Court briefing and watch the arguments online, and most of the time I am highly impressed.