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chrismatt Special user Why would you read any of my 978 Posts |
Besides your retirement party, are there any stories about using magic in your legal work? I knew a lawyer (and former judge) who at least had a reputation for employing "hypnotism" and "mind control" in his work with juries many years ago. He apparently fostered that reputation. There's a story of how he demonstrated the fallibility of eyewitnesses through the use of an illusion done in the courtroom, although this may be apocryphal.
I know you probably did not do courtroom work, but do you have any interesting stories combining your avocation with your vocation?
Details make perfection, but perfection is no detail.
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Simon Aronson 1943 - 2019 74 Posts |
I practiced business law (real estate development) in a large high-power firm. My venue was the office, the conference room, negotiations and deal closings. I was a deal maker, and I rarely appeared in court.
I didn’t use my magic in any special way, or as a formal part of my practice, but in a very real sense it was a central factor – because ultimately my kind of law is a “people” practice. Success here depends on getting along with people, putting them at ease, making yourself a little more interesting or distinctive (so you’re not just one more suit), and occasionally taking their minds off something (maybe even to distract them??). Performing casual close-up magic was invaluable in accomplishing all the above, and I did it often throughout my legal career. It’s, at bottom, a people skill. The people in my law firm were often my testing grounds for my ideas – fellow lawyers, secretaries, the guys in the mail room, everybody. Magic, even just an occasional single trick, is a nice break in someone’s day, and it makes you more welcome the next time you drop into an office or ask for a favor. I endeared myself to the gals in word processing (which was an invaluable help in my early days of self-publishing). And the spectrum of workers in my firm was a good cross section of social strata, so I could test whether an effect or idea had broad appeal. I used magic a lot in “rainmaking” – establishing, developing and maintaining client relationships. People take pride (hey, my lawyer did the neatest card trick!) in knowing someone a bit different, and it’s great for client dinners. It breaks down barriers – well, you know, the relationship becomes more personal, not solely business. Even though I’ve been retired for seven years, I still do this a lot – for Ginny’s law clients and associates. (She calls me her best rainmaking tool). Many years ago one of her clients once actually offered to take me overseas in his private jet, if I would only reveal the secret of a something that floored him (Shuffle-bored), but I winked and declined. I also kept magic as a formidable weapon to ease tension. Several times, when major closings were delayed and people were impatiently pacing around (waiting for the money to be wired), pressures could mount and people might start to “second guess” decisions. One of my more astute developer clients would always ask me to “take out the cards” to help smooth out the wait. It diffused things, occupied the time in a fun way, and let the deal progress. I’m not sure that this is anything special. But it’s how I used magic during all my professional years. And, of course, it made it all the more fun for me. Simon
"There's a world of difference between a spectator's not knowing how something is done versus his knowing that it can't be done."
Shuffle-bored (1980) http://www.simonaronson.com |
Mergel Funsky New user 14 Posts |
Yeah, except for Boston Legal, lawyers are boring.
Mergel
“Just because something’s imaginary doesn’t mean it isn’t real.”
-- Mergel Funsky Frontispiece, Who Is Mergel Funsky? (unpublished and likely to remain so) |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » The August 2006 entrée: Simon Aronson » » Use of magic in law (or vice versa) » » TOPIC IS LOCKED (0 Likes) |
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