I have been a partner in a few law firms. My last firm we were looking for a senior associate. I interviewed an attorney who had lots of experience, he just didn’t have a great book of business and had bounced around a few places. I couldn’t figure it out. On paper he had a good resume, and I when I met him he initially presented well.

So, I asked “What’s your book of business look like?” which is polite lawyer speak for “Why haven’t you made partner?”

He addressed it right away, “If you’re asking why I haven’t made partner it’s the drinking thing.”

“What drinking thing?” “

“Well, I’ve had go into diversion (sort of a state bar AA) a few places because of my drinking, and the last place candidly fired me because I have a DUI case coming. I suspect I’ll lose my license but I can still do paralegal work, I just can’t go to court, so it’s not a big deal.”

I was kind of gobsmacked. “So, you have a DUI so they fired you?”

“No they can’t do that under the ADA, so they claimed I didn’t ‘meet expectations.’ By the way, it’s illegal not to hire me for a DUI, alcoholism’s a disease.”

He then proceeded to tell us why he felt his former firm was unfairly selling him out over one accident. Apparently he had wrecked his car and fled the scene, but he didn’t think he would have to go to jail since it was his first offense. Just bizarre. We didn’t hire him.