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Profession; (3) Eliminate Bias and Enhance
Diversity; and (4) Advance the Rule of
Law. Everything we do at the ABA can and
should relate to our goals.
Have you had a chance to engage with the
Chicago legal community? Do you have any
impressions of the attorneys here?
Yes, and I am very impressed. First of all,
the City of Chicago is magnificent. It’s a
beautiful city, with a lot to do, and the
people are friendly. I’ve gotten to know
many local attorneys, and they represent
the best of our profession. Our ABA staff
includes about 180 attorneys, and they
have a real passion for their work.
During your commencement address at
your alma mater, the University of Georgia
School of Law, earlier this year, you told the
graduates to “always treat everyone with
dignity and respect” and noted that General
ColinPowell, the Chairmanof the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, knewthenames andbackgrounds of
security guards at the Pentagon. The ABA is
headquartered at 321 N. Clark. Do you know
the security guards there?
I do, actually. I chat with [them] at the
Clark Street entrance when I come in to
work most days. I’m appreciative of the
work people do for us, from security guards
to our cleaning crew. I tell the ABA staff
that I have three expectations of them:
(1) to do their best; (2) to do what’s right;
and (3) to treat everyone with dignity and
respect, always.
You worked with General Powell. Can you
giveus anexampleof howhe treatedpeople?
One day, I had been in a meeting with
General Powell in “the Tank,” a highly
secure facility where some classified matters
A PERSON OF INTEREST
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will enjoy getting to know. If you have an idea
for someone we should feature, we’d love to
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chicagobar.org.
were discussed. I was walking back to his
office with General Powell. We approached
an Army major who had a Joint Staff badge
and he was with what appeared to be his
parents and grandmother. Rather than
walk by, General Powell stopped, shook
their hands, and thanked them for their
son’s service. I could tell that was a moment
they would always remember. It was a nice
gesture, the type of thing leaders should
do to show appreciation for the work of
their staff.
You also told the graduates that “there are
no degrees of honesty.” What do you mean
by that?
It’s funny, I got that message one day in a
fortune cookie. I was hoping for a joke or
some cute saying from Confucius. But I
thought about that message, and it’s true:
You’re either honest or you’re not. You
have integrity or you don’t. To say that
someone is “honest most of the time” is
not a compliment. Attorneys are officers
of the court; we must have integrity; we
must be honest all of the time. There are
no degrees of honesty.
I grew up in Kentucky. You grew up in
Georgia. I’m not used to the winters here
yet. Are you?
I am! Although I’m from the South, I had
several military assignments in cold places.
My first assignment was in Upstate New
York in January. My first week, the wind
chill dropped to 70 degrees below zero
every night! And it didn’t get above freezing
for the first month I was there. So, yes, yes-
terday was chilly in Chicago [12 degrees],
but I’m pretty adaptable.
CBA RECORD 47
The Chicago Bar Association
CLE in Barcelona, Spain
April 7-10, 2015
Plus extend your travel with pre-conference extension
to Madrid and post-conference extension to Seville.
Chairs:
Judge Thomas R. Mulroy, Circuit Court of Cook County
Aurora Abella-Austriaco,Austriaco & Associates, Ltd.
Questions?
Send an email to Tamra Drees at
or phone 312-554-2057.
Experience the excitement of Barcelona,
Spain while earning 4 hours of Illinois
continuing legal education (including
4 PR/MCLE credits, subject to approval)
and making countless connections with
fellow attendees!
Headquarters Hotel: Majestic Hotel & Spa
CBA Administrators, Inc.