Look To Your Left

Jeremy Burnside's law school ordeal was much much worse than most. In what could only be called an Appalachian Apocalypse, his college town of Grundy, Va. was afflicted with an explosion, which destroyed his apartment on the eve of final exams, and a flood. And three people, including the Dean, were murdered on campus. These horrendous incidents came on top of his failure to make grades in his first semester.

With an amazing burst of determination, creative study techniques, and self-discipline, Jeremy learned to think like a lawyer, and avoided almost certain expulsion. He became a first-rate law student, graduated, and passed the bar in Ohio and Kentucky. Burnside is now an outstanding trial lawyer in Portsmouth, Ohio.

As Jeremy tells us in this engaging story, he was faced with an almost impossible situation. Burnside's ability to go from academic probation to Dean s list in one semester was near miraculous. His experience, as related here, is a true story dramatized by fictional characters and conversations. It is a classic young man s coming-of-age tale set in an Appalachian Paper Chase environment. Jeremy s ordeal is alternately hilarious and perplexing, but ultimately heart-warming and inspiring.

The law is a demanding mistress, but she promises a meaningful life of service to those who survive the rigors of law school and studying for the bar. The young men and women who pursue careers in the law deserve our gratitude and respect. In a world of declining standards, the law remains one of the last true professions, and lawyers are guardians of our individual rights and liberties. Yes, some lawyers try to pervert the law and serve sinister interests. But they are the exceptions.

Lawyers like Jeremy Burnside exemplify the positive side of law seeking justice for people, sometimes against long odds.