Editor's Note

I recently went to Springfield to interview the candidates for our Springfield intern position.

The Springfield intern writes for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin while attending the University of Illinois Springfield and participating in the Public Affairs Reporting graduate school program.

A couple months before that interview process, all the interns visited the different publications they would eventually interview with to learn more about them.

When the students visited the Law Bulletin offices, I talked about both this magazine and the newspaper and described our loyal readers.

I talked about how important the publications are to our subscribers. I am thinking that many of those students left the meeting thinking that I was a little too excited about our publications and possibly overstating how engaged the readers are.

But one of the interns told me and reporter Josh Weinhold during his interview that he rode the Metra to the suburbs after he came to the Law Bulletin. While checking out his complimentary issue of the newspaper, a lawyer stopped him and joked that he looked too young to be a lawyer. They then started talking about the publication. The student said he was surprised that one reader would call out another reader on the train. In my mind that shows how engaged each of you are in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer.

I often hear how many of my columnists receive e-mails and calls about what they write. Those calls and e-mails create this unbelievable dialogue that would only exist with publications like this one.

Take the Chicago Lawyer Person of the Year. I received many, many letters from different segments of the legal community who wanted to nominate attorney Bob Clifford.

They talked about his commitment to the legal community and his love of public service. The fact that judges and lawyers took time out of their days to write these letters is first a testament to Bob's stellar career and humanitarian efforts. But it's also a testament to the relevance of this publication. You can read reporter Roy Strom's stories about Clifford on pages 18 and 24.

I also want to call your attention to Bob's letter to his daughter, who recently got sworn in as a lawyer. This letter, which is in the form of his monthly column, is on page 50.

On the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin side, we try to report about those lawyers who died in the legal community throughout the year. We honor them with stories or mentions in our In the News column. We compiled those stories and mentions into a story in the magazine, which appears on page 30.

I wanted this story to be similar to the In Memoriam tributes that occur during the different awards ceremonies like the Academy Awards. When I read this story, it really took me back through these lawyers' careers and how they will be missed.

We want to also provide some fun within this month's issue. Freelance reporter Terrie Henderson-Stockton wrote about lawyers who not only pick up a briefcase, but also a musical instrument or microphone to create music. I'm not talking about the music of the law — I'm talking about hip hop, rock 'n' roll, country and classical. The story starts on page 38.

The Inspiring Innovators series focuses on John Hewko, this amazing lawyer, turned humanitarian, who now leads Rotary International. The story, which appears on page 52, makes me think that I need to watch less TV and reflect more on how to give back.

I want to remind all our subscribers to renew your subscriptions and purchase your ads. Those two things, particularly the ads, keep this magazine coming out each month. We're going to be doing the give-a-gift campaign again for both publications. If you know of an unemployed lawyer who would like to read both the newspaper and the magazine you can give them subscriptions as a gift. It may help them jump-start their careers. E-mail me if you would like more information or e-mail circulation@lbpc.com.

I hope that everyone has a pleasant holiday. Thank you for taking time to read our magazine each month.

In conclusion, here is a little letter in response to Judge Michael Hyman's November Judging History column.

"I don't think that Eisenhower should have lost, but I have in my desk what has been called Stevenson's greatest speech, his address to the Princeton University senior class on March 22, 1954. That class included Donald Rumsfeld and Sen. Paul Sarbanes.

"What made the speech so moving is that it is a nonpartisan call to public service. Your column in the November 2012 issue of the Chicago Lawyer raises Stevenson to where he should be held in public esteem." — Stephen C. Carlson, Sidley Austin.