With all the hullabaloo surrounding our soon-to-be former Attorney General Marc Dann, Case Western Law School officials decided that Dann might not be the best person to give the commencement address.
Last week, Dean Gary Simson sent out an e-mail to students telling them not to worry. He was in talks with other potential speakers, all of whom were equally fabulous. On Thursday, the school announced the new speaker: Case graduate Stephen C. Ellis.
“Who is he?” students asked…
Since the announcement was made, Ellis -- a partner with Tucker, Ellis, and West -- hasn’t had time to breathe. His phone has been ringing off the hook. “I’m going to have to ask for his autograph,” Ellis’ secretary says. “But I’ve told him not to get a big head. It’s not him. It’s probably because of who he’s replacing.”
Ellis says that ever since he got the phone call asking him to speak, he’s been working feverishly on an outline. At first he considered topics like: “Divorce: Other Peoples’ Misery is Just a Synonym for Billable Hours” and “Eldery Widows: How to Turn Their Life Savings Into Your New Beach House.”
But he finally settled on a better theme: How to stay happy while working 80 hour weeks. Asked if this was possible, Ellis laughs. “I am,” he says. “But I realize there’s only a small handful of us [who are].”
Asked whether he was worried about filling Dann’s shoes, the speaker replies, “I’m not going to comment. I don’t know what shoe size he is.” – Rebecca Meiser
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