A Conversation with Award of Merit Recipient Mark Fogg, 1119 COBJ, Vol. 48, No. 10 Pg. 64
| Author | BY CHARLES MCGARVEY. |
| Position | Vol. 48, 10 [Page 64] |
PROFILES IN SUCCESS
BY CHARLES MCGARVEY.
Mark Fogg is driving to Montana for a fishing trip when I catch up with him. I've called to ask him his thoughts on receiving this year's CBA Award of Merit. There's a worry that the cell reception may be spotty at times, but our connection stays clear.
"I appreciate the Mr. Fogg, but please call me Mark." There's a laid back, relaxed quality to his voice. I can tell he's enjoying the wide-open spaces.
Q: You've had a long relationship with the Colorado Bar Association, and over the years you've seen a lot of esteemed attorneys receive the CBA Award of Merit. How does it feel to be included in that group? And what does the CBA Award of Merit mean or represent to you?
A: The thing is, I've gotten so much help during my career. I've tried to be a helper to other folks. So many people have been good to me, helped me, and positively influenced me. I've really enjoyed the colleagues in my life. They are very special. I think this award is more of a composite of all those good lawyers who helped and taught me over my career.
Q: Prevalent throughout the many nominations for this award, as well as in articles and profiles previously written about you, are mentions of your elevated sense of morality and civility and your ability to navigate ethical issues. How do you think you developed such a well-calibrated moral compass?
A: Certainly, as a foundation, through the upbringing by my parents. Great people. But if we were to put it into a legal context of somebody who really helped me understand what it means to be a lawyer and what our ethical duties are toward others-fellow attorneys and clients as well as laypeople -Brooke Wunnicke in the Denver District Attorney's Office.
I wasn't a hardcore hippy, but I was a child of the early 70s who came out here from Detroit and was a law student at CU. Frankly, I needed a job to pay for law school. A job opened up a t the Denver District Attorney's Office. There were two guys who were good friends and there happened to be three positions available working as interns in the Appellate Division. We agreed to take the jobs together.
I think that was probably late winter of 1978. And, holy cow, the lawyer who was the head of the Appellate Division was a woman named Brooke Wunnicke. She had an unbelievable ability to mentor her law students and show new lawyers how to act ethically in difficult trial situations and develop great stand up skills. She had the ability to pass on to new lawyers an understanding of the profound effect on others you will have in your career. There were about 80 of us who were her direct mentees. She called us her children. A lot of these people have gone on to some very prestigious positions in Colorado. Brooke also...
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