Tony quite literally grew up in the law.  His dad was an attorney and his mother was the office manager for the law firm.  Tony’s dad was “old school” and handled a very diverse set of cases.  That’s how most lawyers were back in those days.  From personal injury to criminal law, from divorce cases to drafting a will, Tony’s dad did it all.  And while hanging out and literally growing up in his parent’s law firm, Tony got to see it all.  He would go to court with his dad at an early age.  As he got older, his parents put him to work as the file clerk organizing papers, serving as the firm “runner” and doing whatever else it took to help the clients.

The decision to become a lawyer for Tony was hardly a decision at all.  Having grown up in the law and revering a father that was a successful, well-respected attorney that was loved by his clients, Tony knew from an early age that this was his calling.  After graduating from the University of San Diego law school, passing the Nevada bar exam and becoming a licensed attorney, Tony began working in his father’s small law firm.  There was no time for hand holding or coddling from his father who was as tough as they came.  Tony was immediately thrown into a jury trial in which his client faced a charge of involuntary manslaughter.  Tony “hung the jury.” 

What this means is the jury could not decide if his client was guilty or not – they couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict which is required to convict.  It was certainly a victory for Tony’s client.  Feeling pretty good about the result, Tony spoke to two of the jurors after the trial.  Both elderly women, they told him they couldn’t convict because they felt sorry for Tony given his young age and apparent nervousness during the trial.  That was a bit deflating but it taught Tony a lesson in humility and the importance of bonding with a jury.  It also taught Tony another valuable lesson and that is that the focus should always be on the client.