The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Austin Bar Association membership or the Austin Bar Association board of directors.
My law school professor for Agency & Partnership Law was Harold G. Reuschlein, former dean of Villanova Law School, and everyone’s “Proper Gentleman.” He appeared for each class nattily attired, clad in a three-piece suit, a carefully chosen pocket square, with a golden watch fob spanning his vest pockets. His demeanor and impeccable elocution would suggest an impending post-class engagement for a quick sherry with Rumpole of the Bailey. But it was clear that he was frustrated by our generation of law students, whose casual (and often ragged) dress drove him to the occasional remonstration and full-on rant.
To Dean Reuschlein, both the study and vocation of the legal profession required a serious commitment. Lady Law, of course, was just a single genuflection under a vocation to the priesthood in his mind. And to Dean R, nothing demonstrated that dedication more than “looking like a lawyer.” Sadly, our “boomer” generation of the mid-1970’s would never meet that expectation. From our shaggy hair, T-shirts, and insouciant disregard for social norms, we presented a formidable and often intolerable challenge to his message that “you must always ‘present’ as a lawyer.” Now remember, in 1974, the Vietnam War was still going on, and my class included a number of military veterans, including myself, who had no interest in shining another pair of shoes for the foreseeable future. Rather, we were delighted by having re-gained our right to grow hair and look sloppy.