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Q&A With Mercedes
October 8, 2004
1.  What has been your biggest professional disappointment in your career as an attorney?

THIS IS GOING TO SOUND CORNY BUT I AM A FATALIST AND WHEN THINGS DON'T GO EXACTLY AS I ENVISION, I FEEL THERE IS A HIGHER PURPOSE. THIS PHILOSOPHY HAS SHAPED BOTH MY PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIFE SO I CAN'T IDENTIFY ANY PROFOUND DISAPPOINTMENT.

2.   How did you get your start in television?

TWO YEARS AGO CELEBRITY ATTORNEY PAUL CALLAN RECCOMMENDED ME TO COURT TV AND THINGS WENT FROM THERE. I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE.

3.  Can you offer any advice or encouragement to those of us (women) who are considering law school?

TRULY BELIEVE THERE ARE NO GENDER BARRIERS. THE NUMBER OF WOMEN ENTERING LAW SCHOOL HAS STEADILY INCREASED OVER THE YEARS AND MANY OF THE EARLY ENTRANTS PAVED THE WAY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY CANDIDATES. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND WORKING IN A LAW FIRM SETTING TO GET A FEEL FOR WHAT LAWYERS DO FOR A LIVING. THE LAW PROFESSIONAL IS NO WHERE NEAR AS GLAMOROUS AS THE LEGAL SHOWS HAVE PORTRAYED IN THE PAST. LA LAW COMES TO MIND. A FEW YEARS AGO I RAN A PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WHO INTERNED AS PARALEGALS. ON A DAILY BASIS, I WOULD INVARIABLY HEAR ONE OR MORE OF THE KIDS SAY "I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH READING AND WRITING YOU DO." THANKFULLY I HAVE A PASSION FOR BOTH. FINALLY, BE PREPARED FOR PUTTING YOURSELF AND YOUR STUDIES FIRST. SUCCESS IN LAW SCHOOL IS PREDICATED UPON UNFETTERED FOCUS.
4. What is your opinion on the ruling of the Fourth District Court of Appeals in Florida that Rush Limbaugh�s medical records were legally seized by the state attorney's office in Palm Beach County by search warrant?

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM AMONGST DEFENSE LAWYERS INDICATES A GENUINE FEAR WE ARE APPROACHING A POLICE STATE IF PROSECUTORS ARE PERMITTED TO CONDUCT A "FISHING EXPEDITION" INTO MEDICAL RECORDS OF UNCHARGED PARTIES. THIS IS FURTHER COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT MANY STATES HAVE LOCAL PRIVACY LAWS WHICH PROHIBIT THE RELEASE OF MEDICAL RECORDS WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE PATIENT. LIMBAUGH'S CASE WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORED ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT JUXTAPOSES THE COMPETING INTERESTS BETWEEN PROTECTING SOCIETY AND GUARDING PERSONAL PRIVACY.

5. Has becoming a television analyst changed any aspects of your life?

MY LIFE IS FAR MORE EXCITING AND UNPREDICTABLE. NOTHING IS MORE EXHILERATING THAN GETTING IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA AND THINKING QUICKLY ON YOUR FEET WHILE BEING PEPPERED WITH UNANTICIPATED QUESTIONS. I THOROUGHLY ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE.
6. Has anything embarrassing/funny happened when you have been on the air?
I WORE A JACKET THAT HAD SNAPS ALL THE WAY DOWN THE FRONT. THAT PARTICULAR DAY I HAD MADE SEVERAL APPEARANCES ON TELEVISION AND THE SNAPS NEAR THE TOP OF MY JACKET KEPT OPENING. MERCIFULLY, IT WOULD HAPPEN AS SOON AS THE CAMERA WOULD TURN TO FOCUS ON ANOTHER ANALYST OR ANCHOR SO I WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY SNAP IT CLOSED BEFORE THE CAMERA PANNED BACK. THROUGHOUT THE APPEARANCES WE ALL HAD TO REPRESS GIGGLES. FINALLY AT MY LAST APPEARANCE I SAID " I CAN'T GUARANTEE I CAN KEEP THIS JACKET ON" AND A FEW JOKED BACK "DON'T WORRY IT'S GREAT FOR RATINGS!"
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