THE ROBING ROOM

When Friday motion day comes in his courtroom, it is obvious that Judge Ellis is the smartest man in the room. Unfortunately, he will frequently make it plain that he knows he's the smartest man in the room, and act accordingly. Few judges have his encyclopedic knowledge of case law, and fewer still will show his level of familiarity with the pleadings you submit to him - so you can't usually slip a fast one by him. The fact that he is so very bright and quick, however, can sometimes be a drawback when he mercilessly interrogates one of our less-skilled litigating brethren. I have found him to be relatively even-handed when dealing with private litigants, but when the government is involved he shows a definite pro-government inclination. This is one judge you want to avoid angering, because his temper can sometimes be volcanic. However, he seems to not hold a permanent grudge if you set him off, assuming that you show a respectful level of groveling.