I am proud and grateful to count myself among the many who have co-counseled with Jack, and who have been the benefactors of his friendship, creativity, wit, wisdom, and generous encouragement.
Some lessons he taught through his example, that I aspire to:
-To choose action over perfection
-To value imperfection as its own perfection - more than once, Jack counseled me of other cultures' traditions of purposefully leaving an "imperfection" in a work of art; similarly, he counseled, if there were a stray error in that brief heading to federal court, that might only add to its ultimate value
-To treasure the creative force of the young, and to surround oneself with youthful energy
-To create: to write poems, file lawsuits, seek out music, to speak the truth, to be ornery, to be loyal
-That big problems are not really big problems - which is to say, lawyers and clients can take action to call attention to big problems, and trust that the fight will make a difference
-That friendship is a gift to be treasured - for no other reason than that it is friendship
Jack, you were a true friend, support and inspiration, and I will miss you. I hope that it may be a comfort to Mary and all of your family to know this community's appreciation for you.
-Stephanie Haffner
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I only worked briefly with Jack, but he has been a friend of my family for a long time. Being in his presence is an extraordinary experience, because of his charisma and the life and laughter that he brings to each and every setting. In one of our exchanges he said to me, "Sister, when you pass the bar, you will not be an attorney but an advocate with a bar card." Jack's words are still with me. I hope to do you proud. Rest in peace Jack!
ReplyDelete