Twenty Years and Counting

This weekend was my 20-year law school reunion. It was held, of course, here in Austin, with a morning's worth of continuing legal education programs. a luncheon on the lawn at the Law School, and a dinner party for the Class of '88 that evening.

It was great seeing everyone. In many ways, it felt like we'd just gone our separate ways -- friends instantly recognized each other, classroom antics and Sixth Street sorties were re-lived, and former professors were recalled and, in some cases, roasted. (There were plenty of ears burning in Austin that night.)

In other ways, it was difficult if not impossible to summarize the 20 years of ups, downs, triumphs, disappointments, and just plain changes we all have lived through. Most of my classmates knew I'd gone to work for Governor Ann Richards shortly after law school -- but that was 15 years and five jobs ago. I've also bought a house, bought a ranch, married, sold the ranch, and divorced in that time. I've also lost both parents and had other experiences that, in many ways, transformed me as much as, or more than, anything that's happened in my professional career.

And every one of my classmates has those same stories: marriage, kids, some divorces, the death of parents and friends -- even the deaths of classmates. It's hard to compress all that into a luncheon and a dinner party, but we made a nice start of it this weekend. Hopefully we'll stay in better touch in the future.

Some pictures from the alumni events this weekend are here.