In Spite of Shakespeare

As a third year law student I should be excited at what awaits me after graduation. But the truth is, I'm kind of worried. In William Shakespeare's King Henry VI Part 2, he recommends, "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers." Well, with the current legal prospects given our economic state, there might not be many lawyers left to kill off.

I grew up watching stories of successful attorneys become wealthy beyond the imaginations of most, but this fairy tale is slowly becoming a thing of the past -- at least for most new attorneys. There are over 300 million Americans living today and, according to the American Bar Association, " . . . there were 1,116, 967 licensed attorneys in June of 2006. The number rose to 1,128,729 by the end of 2006, and grew to 1,143,358 by the end of 2007." With those kind of numbers, one would expect that - as rare as a licensed attorney is - the ability to be fabulously wealthy, as an attorney, is still relativity likely. It's just not the case.

The average salary for an attorney now is less than $60,000. Of course, 60k is nothing to sneeze at, especially when there are two incomes in the family. However, it's very unlikely that at $60,000, the average attorney will be featured on "The Life Styles of The Rich and Famous." To be sure, money is not the only reason to practice law. I can tell you from experience that if one does not possess a passion for the study and practice of law, life as an attorney can amount to a miserable experience -- even if the money is good. As an attorney one is provided with countless opportunities to do good for society. There are so many of us out there that are trying to manipulate the system and perpetuate the negative connotations that come with the title of "esquire" that the need for honest, principled practitioners is as great and as rare as it has ever been. There is a lot of purpose one can find in being an attorney and that (along with the money) is what keeps people like me passionate about the practice of law.

I certainly hope to be one of the noblemen that bring integrity back into the practice of law, but I also would like a stable of European super cars out behind a multi-million dollar family estate. The truth is that there are always going to be obstacles to the path of independent wealth. It is the innovator, the hard worker, the man unwilling to give up on his dreams and that of his family's who makes it. I fully intend on making it; and, in spite of those with a mind like Shakespeare, I'll do it with a law license.

An Automobile Among Cars

The result of being born a man has therefore given me a predisposition to an addiction with automobiles. Being brought up in the 80's didn't really give me a fabulous opportunity to experience the art of the automobile like those being raised in different eras. Now, there surely are a few cars from the 80's that are worth mention, but for a large portion of that period of time and even into the early 90's the "art" of the automobile was lost. It was, however, a picture of "Refrigerator Perry" - for a Kangaroos Shoes advertisement - sitting on a Lamborghini Countach that sparked my fascination with Lamborghini and automobiles in general.

I still hold Lamborghini very high in my obsession with cars, but my tastes have matured and expanded to include other great manufacturers. I personally own a BMW and believe that they are truly "the ultimate driving machine," at least for my price range. One day I hope that a huge personal injury settlement may be able to provide me the necessary funds to purchase my new favorite dream car: the 2010 Bugatti C Galibier. (Photo by Top Speed)

Bugatti is truly an automobile among cars. With the current production line having not more than three-four makes, Bugatti shows how successful one can be when they forsake quantity and focus on quality. Many of you who know of Ralph Lauren are also familiar with the fact that the man is a true connoisseur of automobiles. So much so that a portion of his fleet was featured in a recent - few years - art show. Among his pieces the 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic is truly beautiful and serves as a harsh reminder of how much has been lost in the way of automobile design. The new Galibier draws on styling from the '38. This is a common theme among automobile manufacturers as they come to the realization that - like many things - if it's not broke, don't fix it . . . but you may make improvements. Only new materials and technology available to automobile manufacturers that improve on the excellence of our most favored designs should be making their way into the production lines, save the occasional masterpiece in the design department.

Behold, the perfect automobile:

Whiskey is What Men Drink

This summer after my wedding, my wife and I chose to stay with my parents for the summer. I am working on making connections in the legal field here at home. The means that - much to my wife's dismay - we have to leave our place in Virginia. Along with the other aspects of living as newlyweds with one's parents that might be frustrating, the local spirits store doesn't carry my preferred whiskey -- the biggest bummer of all.

A little over a year ago I started drinking Bernheim Original, and have never looked back. It is truly a unique whiskey. Here is the website: http://www.bernheimwheatwhiskey.com/. I'll let you take time to look through the website and learn more about it, as opposed to copying and pasting all the specifics on here. However, in pure laymen's terms, I can tell you that it is a great whiskey for sipping. Most devoted whiskey drinkers out there can sip nearly any whiskey, and enjoy it. For most, they will often add water or cola to dilute the elixir. I will not take the opportunity to knock on such activities, as I myself sometimes like the occasional mint julep. The major difference in Bernheim Original and that of other purveyors of whiskey is that Bernheim is made from a soft winter wheat and not corn, rye, or barley. This results in a much crisper, cleaner drink and no sign of "whiskey face."

Although I do long for the days when I can get back in touch with my old friend, this summer's absence from it has opened many opportunities to sample the different brands out there. This summer's hit list includes: Eagle Rare, 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, and Maker's 46. Of the three, I would highly recommend the 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, then Maker's 46, and lastly Eagle Rare.

Looking Forward to The New Fall Lines

As great as this summer has been, I'm growing a little tired of looking at the same old offerings from my favorite mens clothiers. In particular, I cannot wait to see what new designs will come from the Phineas Cole line via Paul Stuart heritage. Like that of Tom Ford (although a bit more extreme), Phineas Cole reincorporates those classy vintage stylings that have been missed or messed up throughout the later part of the 20th Century and adds to it the current modern leaps in cut and fit.

Bringing back peak lapels, wide ties, ticket pockets, etc. has been reinvented - as a look - when paired up with the new courageous mixes of colors, patterns, and textures. This new look that has been brought upon by the likes of Phineas Cole and others in his class, does what many industries are trying to do in all types of fields. For classical men's elegance that means, bringing back to the future of design those brilliant ideas from the earliest years in men's "sartorialology" (sic), while using the new brilliance among modern day haberdashers to make those ideas from the past explode with a redefinition of cool.

I don't want to take anything away from J. Press, Ralph Lauren, or Brooks Brothers because I still love them and those of their ilk. They have their place in my life, but more and more that place is shifting to the leisure portion thereof. For the office, business, or the theater, Phineas Cole and his classmates have my ear. They are reaching the climax of classical men's elegance.