Swimming Makes Me A Better Lawyer

John Kulewicz, a partner in the Vorys Columbus office and a member of the litigation group, authored an article for Law360 about how his time swimming has made him a better appellate lawyers.

The article states: 

"Surprisingly, years of participation in swimming events, especially in the open water, have proven to be ideal preparation for oral arguments before panels ranging from the U.S. Supreme Court to federal and state courts in Ohio.

As with appellate oral arguments, you spend weeks or months preparing for a swim event. When the day comes, you feel much more composed as you head to the water if you have been able to devote the necessary time to training in pools and the open water.

You await the sound of the starting horn with the same anticipation as the invitation of the presiding judge to proceed. You enter the water as deliberately as you make your case in the opening remarks that follow "may it please the court." You're off and swimming, caught up in the intensity of the moment.

After that, as in oral arguments, preparation is the pathway to excellence.

Little contributes more to the successful outcome of an appellate effort than the caliber of the teammates who are working with the counsel of record in preparing the brief and the oral argument. The stronger their skills, the deeper their experience and the more avid their participation, the better the case will go for the client.

The same is true of the friends with whom you have swum in preparation for the swim event, and of the information, advice and coaching that you have been able to find." 

To read the entire article on the Law360 website, click here.  Note: subscription may be required.