Come on Man!

Just prior to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade entered the arena dressed in a double breasted polka dot suit.  I understand that NBA basketball players tend to wear colorful, ostentatious, or "loud" outfits that--in another decade--might constitute Elton John's wardrobe for an evening performance.  And I suppose the Rocket Man and today's modern hoops stars can both be classified as entertainers, so maybe it follows that the legends can wear whatever they like.

Maybe Wade stole these pants from Nate Robinson.

But judging by the reaction of the Inside the NBA halftime team, even this gaudy superstar might be guilty of the occasional faux pas.  "Sir" Charles Barkley reacted to Wade with his trademark expression "Come on man" before declaring that "Miami Heat are the worst dressed team in the NBA."  And Shaq agreed.  Ouch!

Wade's accoutre is not intrinsically offensive, but it is better suited (no pun intended) to a much more casual setting.  That said, I could never do the tight pants.

Dinner at the Great Hall

Lawyers are often known for dressing well, as their business suits and attire are important investments for client meetings and appearances in court.  Of course, not all attorneys are finely fitted specimens of sartorial splendor - it really is a mixed bag.  My limited experience has revealed that Washington, D.C. professionals are among the best dressed in the country, and perhaps it comes as no surprise given the city's prestige in the fields of government, politics, and law.  But even among D.C. lawyers, there is a noticeable disparity among the thread-clad legal eagles.  I know because I traverse our nation's capitol in search of the best-dressed attorneys.

The hardcore socialites remain.

And so I found myself dining last night in the "Great Hall" (the main corridor leading up to the Court's Chamber) at the U.S. Supreme Court Building.  The event was hosted by an Appellate Inn of Court to honor the retiring Clerk of Court, General William Suter.  A few of the Justices mingled and Solicitor General Verrilli offered some remarks about General Suter's impressive career, noting many of his life experiences (including his encounter with a young Elvis Presley at Fort Hood in 1958 - which proved influential in turning around the young Rock 'n Roll star's career at that time) and even went so far as to suggest that General Suter was the inspiration behind Dos Equis' ad campaign featuring "The Most Interesting Man in the World."

It was a surreal experience as I gazed about the room, studying the marble busts of all the former Chief Justices, the coffered ceiling, and the adjoining oak-paneled conference rooms.  As a regular spectator of oral arguments before the Supreme Court, I had been here before, but during such times, we were quietly herded from one point to the next with German efficiency.  To begin the evening, I had been seated at the check-in table, greeting the guests and, of course, studying every detail of the gentlemen's attire.  After being seated for dinner, I occasionally strained to steal a glance about the dimly lit room in search of the best-dressed man (but without appearing rude to the company at my table).  But Frodo had it easier, as the room was full of well-polished, high-profile appellate attorneys from both the Department of Justice and private firms alike making it very difficult to identify a candidate.  And it was in that moment of cerebral jaw-dropping when I concluded that appellate attorneys were perhaps the finest-dressed advocates in the legal profession.

Appellate courts were established to handle appeals from the decisions of lower courts and thus they are both influential and binding.  These gentlemen routinely argue cases before such courts and afford them a great deal of courtesy.  This respect is not limited to their calculated remarks, but to their conduct as a whole, including appropriate dress.  It is their custom to begin the presentation of oral arguments with the humble supplication:  "May it please the court."  What these gentleman wear is not dispositive to the legal issue(s) at hand or helpful in explaining why a lower court's decision is a particularly egregious misapplication of the law.  But, at a minimum, an aesthetically pleasing outfit conveys due respect for the court and an apprehension of the gravity of the situation at hand.

Although not a universal rule, it is clear to me these members of the Supreme Court Bar are frequently the best-dressed advocates that I have encountered.  It's quite simple really -  their manner of dress is a manifestation of their awareness of the immense privilege that they enjoy in arguing before the highest court in the land.

And that's the way it should be.



Courtroom Camoflauge

Today I had the good fortune of attending oral arguments in the Court of Federal Claims surrounding the long standing litigation over the infamous A-12 Avenger stealth fighter that never really was.  The program to develop the carrier based stealth fighter was cancelled in 1991 before a single prototype was ever completed, and the case has been tied up in litigation ever since.  The legal dispute has scaled up and down the courts system (even reaching the U.S. Supreme Court on one occasion) but it continues to elude final judgment.  It's mind-boggling to think that this case has been around most of my lifetime!  It is much like a real Jarndyce v. Jarndyce as featured in Dickens' Bleak House. 

My firm represents one of the parties, and our lead counsel has been on the case from the very beginning when the complaint was filed in the early '90s.  I was asked to help prepare for the argument over the last couple months so naturally, I had to witness it for myself.  But because of the high profile nature of the case, I knew I would be perhaps the only non-lawyer in a room full of highly accomplished advocates.  My goal was to blend into the scenery, so I opted to wear a solid navy suit, plain white dress shirt with ordinary button cuffs, a quiet gray striped tie, and dark brown oxfords.

In the end, it proved an excellent choice.  Most of the attorneys wore their powerful pinstripe suits (as I suspected they might) with brightly colored ties and cufflinks.  The best-dressed man in the room was easily Charles Cooper - a Southern gentleman (with a smooth accent to match), former clerk to Chief Justice William Rehnquist, and former U.S. Assistant Attorney General under President Reagan.  In addition to his well-tailored gray pinstripe suit and his perfectly coordinated red necktie, I made note of his custom cufflinks which featured the name of his law firm "Cooper & Kirk."  My presence in the courtroom was for purposes of my own legal erudition, but with the added bonus of a polished gentleman well-versed in the art of sartorial gentility.

Admittedly, I was aware of Mr. Cooper before today, as he had worn a bow tie while presenting oral arguments in defense of Proposition 8 before the U.S. Supreme Court this past March.  As my wardrobe choice suggested, I was not present at oral arguments to make a statement or impression, but to learn.  I am happy to report that I was able to blend in with my surroundings and absorb every detail.

Roll 'em Up

In my line of work, there are plenty of projects that require a bit of good old fashioned elbow grease.  Last week, one of the attorneys referred to such a project as "arts and crafts," but it's not quite as cute as it sounds.  Juggling hundreds of pages of documents on a deadline necessitates a smooth operating environment, and my preference for a long sleeve dress shirt & tie occasionally risk unwanted interference.  Roughly 50% of my work involves tasks that require physical exertion, organization, or review of some nature.  As with most any wardrobe choice, I find myself in search of a balance between style and practicality.

At first, I rolled them when I was handling a "rush" project or when the weather was warm.  But now, even when I'm not under pressure, I roll them up as a subtle fashion statement.  It downplays the formality of the tie and confirms (if there was any doubt) that I came ready for work.