500
plaintiffs’ side, complex commercial litigation, I never looked back and I really enjoy it.
LD: Did you know back then that you wanted to be a lawyer?
LD: What are some things you enjoy most about it?
CB: Not especially. I came to law in a roundabout way. But, looking back, it does make sense that I enjoy practicing law, especially in the way we do it at Reid Collins. While an undergrad at the University of Texas I changed my major about six times. Those majors ranged from petroleum and geosystems engineering to history, and many places in between. And I ultimately finished with a Psychology degree. The reality was that I found many things interesting, and so did not really want to settle on any one thing. It turns out, law actually is a great place for that because every case presents a new world that I get to learn about. And when the case is over, in addition to hopefully getting a great result for my client, I come out with an education in a new field. So for an undergrad who wanted to major in everything, it’s perfect. Law was a great fit for me.
CB: Being on the plaintiffs’ side of a complex commercial litigation is fun. On the front end, because almost all of our cases involve some aspect of financial fraud, we first get to solve the puzzle of what happened and why. Then we get to figure out who was involved and is subject to liability as a result. Next we get to formulate a strategy with our clients about the best way to approach the litigation, who to sue, where to sue, what claims to bring, and how to avoid the various defenses that we see time and time again in our practice. That process from when a case comes in to when we have a full blown litigation strategy is very intellectually challenging, and is a blast. It allows us to really work together as a team, both within the firm, and with our clients. As a former high school basketball coach, and even further back a player, I love being a part of a team and think it is by far the best way to get to the best result, and do it in the most efficient way possible. Then, once we have our strategy sorted out, we get to litigate, and hopefully obtain a recovery for our clients, who are either people who were damaged by some kind of corporate malfeasance or representatives of those folks. So really, every aspect of the process is something I enjoy. LD: That’s interesting, that your time as a basketball coach is still serving you today! CB: It really is. I was also a high school biology and physics teacher. I learned a ton from those experiences, including how to lead teams, explain complex ideas in a simple way, and connect with a diverse group of people depending on each individuals’ unique situation. All of those lessons have translated into my practice whether that is in my interactions with clients, our team, opposing counsel, or in court.
LD: That’s great advice for students who aren’t interested in just one major. CB: Absolutely. For a person that enjoys learning about a variety of things, law is the perfect fit because law itself is such a wide ranging topic. And, each case has its own mini-education on whatever the underlying subject matter is. LD: How did you decide to attend Columbia for your J.D.? CB: I grew up in Texas, went to undergrad at the University of Texas, and then taught and coached in Texas high schools. Law school was a great opportunity for me to try a new place. So, after weighing a number of options, I chose Columbia because it is a great law school and because I wanted to experience living in New York City. LD: Did you enter law school thinking you would be a litigator, doing plaintiff work, focused on the financial industry?
BEING ON THE PLAINTIFFS’ SIDE OF A COMPLEX COMMERCIAL LITIGATION IS FUN. THAT PROCESS, FROM WHEN A CASE COMES IN TO WHEN WE HAVE A FULL BLOWN LITIGATION STRATEGY, IS VERY INTELLECTUALLY CHALLENGING, AND IS A BLAST. LAWDRAGON ISSUE 21 | WWW.LAWDRAGON.COM
39