Judge Robert E. Manning

I can remember it like it was yesterday — my first hearing before a judge that involved a significant legal issue.  I was 26 years old, and it was during my first year of practicing law (1983).  The day before the hearing, I received a telephone call from John Mathers, the attorney I was renting an office from.  He was out of the state on business and wasn’t going to be back in time to attend the hearing.  He asked me to cover the hearing for him, told me where I could find the file, and explained the issues in the case.