Personal Injury Law

Cy Vance Jr., newly elected Manhattan District Attorney, stole my job - 21 years ago

By Bill Marler, Esq.

A little over a year ago, I hosted a fund-raiser for Cy's run for Manhattan District Attorney.   It was a bit of the 'who's who' of the Seattle legal community – primarily white-collar criminal types (that being the lawyers for those criminals). It was what you would expect from a Cy event – a suite at one of the oldest and finest hotels with a commanding view of the city where Cy made a name for himself far away from being the son of Cyrus Vance Sr.

Seldom shy at these types of events (I tend to be the 'one stop shop' for Democratic candidates who find themselves low on funds in Seattle), I offered to say a few words in support of Cy and his candidacy. I decided to tell the story about how Cy and I almost first crossed paths. The story goes like this:

In 1988 after nearly a year of being a lawyer, I was casting about for another place to hang my shingle (why is another much longer story). One of the premier firms of trial lawyers in the city was the firm, Culp, Dwyer, Guterson and Grader (a few years later Dwyer became a well-respected Federal Judge and Guterson's son, David, wrote a best seller, 'Snow Falling on Cedars').

So, I sent in my resume. Within a week I got a call for an interview, and then another, and then lunch with several associates, and then a meeting with several partners, and then a dinner with a few more and my new girlfriend (now my long-suffering wife of 21 years). I thought I had the job nailed.

I waited for the offer.

Finally, after a few days I got a call from one of the partners who I had met with several times. He said, 'Bill, I have good news and bad news.' I asked for the bad. 'Bill, we are not offering you the job.' I asked for the good. 'At least we are offering the job to Cyrus Vance Jr., as I am sure you understand.'

Well, I want to thank Cy for being at the right place at the right time. Had Cy not been there to take that job, I might have actually been hired. And, if hired there, I would not have been at the firm where I eventually secured the Jack-in-the-Box E. coli case in 1993. And, well, the rest is history.

I am happy to raise money for Cy and I wish him all the very best.

Full post as published by Marler Blog on September 16, 2009 (boomark / email).