Tonight after work we had a retirement party for one of the attorneys in our office. We have worked together in the same office for the last 18 years. One of my first criminal jury trials was with him when he worked for the DA's offices some 32 years ago. I was a young defense attorney and it was a DUII trial. Now he is leaving the private practice of law;. Oh, he will continue to work part time as a municipal court judge and do pro bono work for veterans but he is starting down the road to retirement. I will hate to see him go.He is one of the most civic minded people I know. He is a former Navy JAG officer who has spent the last 17 year leading the effort here in Jackson County to help veterans of our armed forces who are down on their luck. Now, this attorney does have his faults.....he is a Beaver! ( Oregon State Grad) For the last 17 years we have had a friendly rivalry in the office. A rivalry that divides our State. I will miss talking to him each week in the fall about college football. Heck we talk college football all year round. For his retirement we went together and bought him a Oregon State Beaver watch. I did stick an Oregon Duck sticker on the back. The picture above is of John Wayne receiving his retirement watch in "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon." So long old friend.
