Government, State Attorneys General

HLS Alum Pat Miles On Mid-Size Legal Markets, Public Service, And His Candidacy For Michigan Attorney General

Patrick Miles shares invaluable career advice for lawyers and law students alike.

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Patrick Miles

“I picked up the pen like Hamilton / Street analyst, now I write words that try to channel ’em / No political power, just lyrical power.” — Nas

Earlier this year, Patrick Miles, a former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, joined Barnes & Thornburg LLP. With the addition of Miles, Barnes & Thornburg becomes the first major law firm with three former U.S. attorneys who are African-American. Michael Battle and Roscoe Howard are the other two former U.S. attorneys at the firm.

Miles is a third-generation Grand Rapids, Michigan, resident. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1991, he returned to Grand Rapids to begin his legal career in the private sector.

In 2010, Miles ran for Congress, losing to the Republican nominee Justin Amash. In 2012, he was nominated and confirmed for the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan based in Grand Rapids. He tendered his resignation on January 30, the day Trump was sworn into office. This May, Miles joined Barnes & Thornburg. On September 28, he announced his candidacy for Michigan Attorney General.

This week, Pat Miles was generous enough to share his time and advice with our ATL audience. Having clerked in Grand Rapids for a couple of summers, I really enjoyed our shared passion and pride for the city. As a young attorney, I found his career and civic advice to be invaluable.

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Without further ado, here is a (lightly edited and condensed) write-up of our conversation:

Renwei Chung (RC): You mentioned that most of your HLS classmates chose larger legal markets. Why did you choose to launch your professional career in a smaller legal market like Grand Rapids?

Pat Miles (PM): First, in law firm practice one needs an expertise and/or a client base to be a successful partner. Being from Grand Rapids was an advantage to do the latter. Second, I like the culture and life style of a medium size city and bar association. Third, I wanted to help Grand Rapids law firms become more diverse and inclusive.

RC: After 21 years in private practice, and almost five years as the U.S. Attorney General for the Western District of Michigan, what career advice do you have for current law students and young attorneys?

PM: Learn as much as you can from more senior attorneys, particularly the ones who are good writers. Also, follow your instincts and do the type of work you enjoy, where you enjoy doing it, rather than chasing a large paycheck.

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RC: What drew you to public service?

PM: My parents instilled in me a sense of community service and giving back. I’m also drawn by the opportunity to help others and solve problems on a wide scale.

RC: On September 28, you announced your campaign for Michigan Attorney General. What motivated you to throw your hat in the ring?

PM: No job is better preparation for state attorney general than serving as a presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney. I thoroughly enjoyed being U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, particularly serving justice, protecting the public, defending taxpayers, and bringing law enforcement and communities together.

RC: Why should young people get involved in our civil service or political system?

PM: Every citizen should be involved in the political system through voting. Beyond that, working in the public sector is very rewarding. Working for the common good is very satisfying professionally.

RC: It was great chatting with you. Is there anything else you would like to share with our audience?

PM: As attorneys, we chose to serve justice and serve others. That is a calling we can be proud of regardless of one’s practice or where one practices law.

On behalf of everyone here at Above the Law, I would like to thank Pat Miles for taking the time to share his story with our audience. We wish him continued success in his career.

Renwei Chung is the Diversity Columnist at Above the Law. You can contact Renwei by email at projectrenwei@gmail.com, follow him on Twitter (@renweichung), or connect with him on LinkedIn. 

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