My Job Is Murder: Of Solstice and Summer Associates

Ed. note: Welcome to ATL’s first foray into serial fiction. “My Job Is Murder,” a mystery set in a D.C. appellate boutique firm, will appear one chapter at a time, M-W-F, over the next few weeks. The first chapter appears here; please read it first.
The author, a former appellate lawyer, wishes to emphasize that any resemblance to any actual person, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Except for the geeky stuff. Appellate lawyers really are that geeky.
Susanna Dokupil can be reached by email at sdokupil@sbcglobal.net or on Facebook.

Tyler headed down to the firm lobby to meet Mark and the 2L summer associates: Katarina from Harvard and Alex from University of Chicago. He knew Mark would want to go to Solstice, the trendy new restaurant in the basement of their building. Mark was efficient like that. Experience Points: about 2700/yr, very respectable.
Tyler hated Solstice. Overpriced, overpresented, and underflavored. But the name, he thought, was fitting. Every day in this building was the longest day of the year.
The elevator reached its destination with a bit of a thud. Mark, Katarina, and Alex were already waiting for him. Mark waved him over. “We were just thinking of going to Solstice,” he said. “Sure,” said Tyler, suppressing an eye roll.
He had met Alex before. Class: Summer Associate. Level: 1. High Intelligence, moderate Charisma. Experience Points: perhaps 50? Alignment: Lawful good. He had quickly developed a reputation as an incredibly nice guy.
And then there was Katarina. Class: Sorceress! Level: 1. Clad in the standard 2L-clone-just-bought-lightweight-wool-dark-suit uniform. But summer associates were well advised to stand out for their work quality rather than their appearance, so her choice probably indicated decent judgment. Something about her, however, exuded a certain geekiness.
“This is Tyler. He also went to Harvard, and then he clerked for Judge Pyrrha on the Fifteenth Circuit.” Mark broke in helpfully.
“Oh, I heard her speak at Harvard last year on the original understanding of the Ninth Amendment. She was amazing,” Katarina replied.
Alignment: Libertarian.


Alex and Mark had begun the ritual discussion of the whereabouts of various University of Chicago alumni. Outwardly a simple exchange of information, actually a subtle verbal fencing game. Points awarded for (1) demonstrating mastery of the material; (2) possessing (accurate) facts new to the other person; and (3) proving personal connection through fewer than three degrees of separation to highly successful alums.
“So you heard, I suppose, that Jim Smith is moving to the White House Counsel’s office?” Mark opened with an easy attack.
“Yes, wonderful news! But, since he recruited me to the firm, I’m disappointed I won’t get to work with him this summer.” Parry. But a miss would have meant quick death.
“And Professor North’s new book on economic incentives to protect the environment is getting quite a bit of press.” A decent thrust, yet he should have heard of it.
“That’s great to hear! I spent most of last year helping with the research and modeling.” Counter-attack. Point.
“And Rand Milton just filed to run for state senate in New Hampshire.” Terribly obscure. Reprise.
“Right. And with a name like that, he’s a liberal democrat! My second cousin used to date him, and she says his parents are huge economic conservatives. You know, they were so conservative, they made him pay ‘taxes’ back to them out of his allowance in an effort to make him hate the government, but it totally backfired, ’cause they’re super rich. So that’s why he’s such a huge proponent of the minimum wage and the alternative minimum tax.”
Another counter-attack. Touché. Well done, Alex.
Tyler could care less, but he felt obligated to test Katarina’s knowledge of Harvard alums just to look respectable. A lack of interest in networking suggests a lack of ability to bring in business. Not that Tyler would ever be at MakoProphet long enough to bring in business. He hoped.
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Susanna Dokupil is a former appellate lawyer who abandoned regular employment in favor of raising four kids. She can be reached by email at sdokupil@sbcglobal.net or on Facebook.

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