"Your Honor..."

The day before oral argument, even at a fairly inconsequential hearing, it a pain in my ass. Every time I have a moment of silence, or am not actively engaging in some activity, I start rehearsing said argument in my head.

Or, out loud. In the shower, driving on the highway, drying off after the shower. Naked oral argument is weird, by the way.

It doesn't really prepare me, either. I will speak from a rough outline which has yet to be written, so all the pacing and practicing in my apartment is vaguely useless.

I do like this part of my job, though. And, the tentative ruling was not in our favor, which makes me the underdog, which makes me like it even more.*

*though note to self, write better briefs so you're not the underdog.