Talk Story, 0921 COBJ, Vol. 50, No. 8 Pg. 4
| Author | JOI KUSH |
| Position | Vol. 50, 8 [Page 4] |
August, 2021
JOI KUSH
"We are all storytellers. We all live in a network of stories. There isn't a stronger connection between people than storytelling."
—Jimmy Neil Smith, founder and past president emeritus of the International Storytelling Center
As I casually but confidently entered the dimly lit auditorium, I was immediately hit with the smell of expensive perfume, newly polished shoes, and spray-on starch. I looked around at the massive gathering with excitement and accomplishment. Despite the monotone sea of greys, beiges, and blues, I felt invigorated and inspired. My heart was whole, and butterflies swarmed my stomach. With my right hand raised, I cautiously and deliberately uttered the sacred oath.
I do solemnly swear and affirm that: I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Colorado; I will maintain the respect due to Court and judicial officers; I will employ only such means as are consistent with trust and honor; I will treat all persons whom I encounter through my practice of law with fairness, courtesy, respect and honesty; I will use my knowledge of the law for the betterment of society and the improvement of the legal system; I will never reject, from any consideration personal to myself, the cause of the defenseless or oppressed; I will at all times faithfully and diligendy adhere to die Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct. Each word dropped heavily on my tongue, and the gravity of the event became real. In diree short minutes (give or take), I became an attorney.
Tales of a Fourth-Grade (Would-Be) Lawyer
My journey to die bar began in fourth grade. My parents had taught me that service to others, especially to those in need, was the truest measure of success, and I knew that attorneys were fierce advocates to those in need. My knowledge of the law and the legal profession was nonexistent, but I knew what I wanted to become, at least in tide. Yet so many in my life told me that becoming a lawyer was something I could never achieve.
I spent a decade and then some working and studying to prove them wrong. Some would say that working as a care provider, hospitality worker, and food and beverage specialist (a.k.a. Restaurant manager) was not the best preparation for law school or life as an attorney. But each hard...
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