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"Good luck. He’s in one of his ‘devil’s advocate’ moods."

I fake a dramatic sigh, and stride into the small meeting room like I’m not about to get grilled by a partner who enjoys verbal combat more than caffeine.

Inside, three other associates are already seated around the table: Sanjay, Kara, and Becca. They are looking as tense as students during finals week. Wilkins is at the head of the table, flipping through a legal pad, glasses perched low on his nose like a stern professor about to fail someone for blinking wrong.

"Let’s begin," he says without looking up. "Sanjay, what progress have you made on the motion to dismiss in the Anders case?"

Sanjay stammers through a half-answer, his voice wavering. Kara jumps in to try and add something, but Wilkins cuts her off. "Next time, try answering the question I actually asked."

Becca fares a little better, presenting a well-reasoned summary. Wilkins nods, barely.

Then it’s my turn.

I straighten my notes, heart hammering, but my voice is calm when I speak. "I focused on the jurisdictional argument you flagged last week. I found a Sixth Circuit ruling from 2020 that aligns with our position and helps rebut the plaintiff’s timeline."

Wilkins finally looks up. "Which case?"

"Taylor v. Kinston Freight. The court ruled that the contractual clause did not override jurisdiction due to lack of sufficient notice."

He stares at me for a beat longer than is comfortable and replies. "Good. That’s the kind of detail we need. And the case law is on point."

I don’t smile, but inside, I’m doing a full-on victory dance.

After the meeting ends, I gather my things and shoot Becca a quick, encouraging smile. She looks rattled. "You did fine," I whisper. "He grills everyone."

She nods, and a bit of the tension drains from her shoulders. I walk out of the room, heels clicking with purpose, and finally let myself breathe.

I made it through the Wilkins gauntlet and maybe even earned a little respect.

"You survived," Richard says, offering me a fist bump as I pass.

"Wilkins asked me to back up my argument with precedent, and I countered with a Sixth Circuit ruling from 2020. He smiled."

Richard blinks. "Wilkins smiled?"

"I know. I’m still recovering."

I settle back at my desk, sip my now-lukewarm coffee, and scroll through my calendar to prep for the next task. I’ve barely made it through three emails when my phone buzzes.

Nate:Lawyers love hockey, right?

There's a photo attachment: a goalie in a full suit reading a legal textbook in the net. The caption says:“When your contract clause says defend everything.”

I snort. Out loud. One of the senior associates walking past gives me a look.

I text back.

Mandy:Objection. Relevance. Also, who told you we have a weakness for jocks in suits?

Nate:Just a hunch. Is it working?

Mandy:Unfortunately.

He replies with a winking emoji and a GIF of someone dramatically flipping a page titled “Flirting for Dummies.”

Mandy:I swear if you send me one more meme, I’m reporting you to the Bar.

Nate:Better than being sent to the penalty box. Or maybe not... depends on the referee.