As the United States celebrates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the State of Idaho[1] is celebrating the lead up to the July 4, 1776, anniversary.[2] For example, if you have been to the Capitol recently, you may have noted that there is a large-scale replica of the Declaration of Independence hanging from the rotunda, that the Liberty Bell has been removed for restoration and a statewide tour, and that there is a display of “Revolutionary Spuds,”[3] with potato-themed nicknames, like Alexander Hamiltater, honoring the founders of our nation.

In the same spirit, I joined the lead-up to America 250 by using (silly/ridiculous) hypotheticals crafted from the Broadway Musical Hamilton during respectful workplace training recently. It got mixed reviews. Despite those mixed reviews, I’m continuing on my Hamilton-inspired path and will “tell you what I wish I’d known/When I was young and dreamed of glory.”[4] See also Cabinet Battle #1 (“Such a blunder sometimes it makes me wonder/Why I even bring the thunder”). With that, let’s see what inspiration we can draw from Hamilton and apply to the practice of law. See generally, The World was Wide Enough (“America, you great unfinished symphony, you sent for me”).

The Importance of Mentorship

            “Tell your sister that she’s gotta rise up”.[5] Hamilton has taught us that the practice of law requires mentorship because “[n]o one really knows how the game is played/The art of the trade/How the sausage gets made.”[6] Law school provides us a base knowledge of the practice of law, but it takes actual practice to learn how “the sausage gets made,” and one of the fundamental tools available to learn that is through mentorship. To quote my fellow commissioner FJ Hahn, “knowing the law is not the same as knowing how to practice it.”[7]

The Importance of Inclusion

“We hold these truths to be self-evident/That all men are created equal/ And when I meet Thomas Jefferson/ I’ma compel him to include women in the sequel”.[8] Hamilton teaches us that the views of individuals different from ourselves are also important. And, in fact, you see, that some of his most trusted advisors are not his contemporaries but instead the women in his life.  Inclusion serves an important aspect in our society and the practice of law.

Learning to Actively Listen

“Talk Less… Smile more”.[9] Hamilton, excited to meet Aaron Burr, and in a string of questions/statements, Burr responds with “[w]hile we’re talking/Let me off you some free advice/ Talk less.”[10] This advice is useful for lawyers as we are used to talking instead of engaging in active listening. Lawyers love to talk but it is also important that they learn to listen.  And we see later that Hamilton’s failure to heed this advice is at times to his detriment. See Non-Stop (“Talks for six hours, the convention is listless”).

Believe in Yourself

“How does a ragtag volunteer army in need of a shower/Somehow defeat a global superpower?”[11] Working hard and believing in yourself are the sharpest tools in your arsenal when you are a young attorney but they are also important as you grow and challenge yourself in new ways—including believing that you can commit the time to undertake pro bono efforts or otherwise volunteer your time and services with the Bar.[12]

When Zealous Advocacy doesn’t come Naturally

“I’d rather be divisive than indecisive”.[13] When decisions get hard to make, or client advice, advocacy, counseling, becomes difficult, you might not be cast as the right character – and that’s fine. We all have different strengths and interests, and there are many opportunities in the law.  As the preamble to the Idaho Rules of Professional Responsibility teaches us, lawyers can play many different roles, not all of which include zealous advocacy:

As a representative of clients, a lawyer performs various functions.  As advisor, a lawyer provides a client with an informed understanding of the client’s legal rights and obligations and explains their practice implications.  As advocate, a lawyer zealously asserts the client’s position under the rules of the adversary system.  As negotiator, a lawyer seeks a result advantageous to the client but consistent with requirements of honest deadlines with others.  As an evaluator, a lawyer acts by examining a client’s legal affairs and reporting about them to the client or to others.[14]

As Bar Commission President, Kristin Bjorkman discussed in the Advocate at this time last year, “[s]ometimes circumstances require us to deviate from the polestar that brought us into the law, or the practice area we hoped to pursue[,]” and there is nothing wrong with deviation.[15]  So if you find that divisiveness is making you indecisive, reevaluate where your passion might be.

The Importance of Mediation

“Most disputes die and no one shoots”.[16] As stated by the Chief Justice in the State of the Judiciary on January 21, 2026:

When people think of courts, the first image that often comes to mind is a trial.  But often, justice is achieved through negotiation and resolution by the parties themselves, within a legal framework designed to ensure fairness and predictability.  When that framework is clear, many disputes are resolved without requiring a judge or jury to decide them.[17]

In my experience, the tool of mediation remains one of the clearest paths towards “fairness and predictability.”  Both sides have far more control over what might be the fairest resolution in mediation than they would with a judge or a jury, because it is the parties themselves that are negotiating the resolution (rather than a third party/entity dictating the outcome to them). Mediation is an effective tool in our adversarial system, and it should be used whenever appropriate.

Practicing Humility

“Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?/Soon that attitude may be your doom.”[18] You will get to a point in your career where it feels like you know what you are doing.  Remain humble when you do. While I love Hamilton (the musical), when he said “I practiced the law, I practically perfected it/I’ve seen injustice in the world, and I’ve corrected it . . . Throwing verbal rocks at these mediocrities[,]”[19] he became an unlikeable character. And Hamilton learns this lesson the hard way when he does not have the political backing for his financial plan. See Cabinet Battle #1 (“they don’t have a plan they just hate mine.”) Hamilton does not recover from this lack of humility. See Washington on Your Side (“Thanks to Hamilton, our cabinet’s fractured into factions/ . . . We smack each other in the press, and we don’t print retractions.”)  Continuing to practice your art, while remaining humble about your skills, is an important trait.  You may be the smartest person in the room, but operating on that assumption may be your doom.[20]

“You really do write like you’re running out of time”[21] I will leave you with the Chief Justice’s homage to the 250^th anniversary during his State of the Judiciary address:

it is worth recalling why the judiciary was designed as a separate and co-equal branch of government. As Alexander Hamilton explained in Federalist No. 78, the judiciary “may truly be said to have neither force nor will, but merely judgment.” Courts were meant to function steadily and independently—guided by law and faithful to their constitutional role, regardless of circumstances.[22]

As lawyers, this quote guides us, as does the Preamble to the Idaho Rules of Professional Conduct, which informs us that while we are members of the legal profession, we are also “an officer of the legal system and a public citizen having special responsibility for the quality of justice.”[23]

Leslie Hayes is currently a commissioner serving Idaho’s Fourth Judicial District of the Idaho State Bar. Leslie spent ten years with the Office of the Attorney General prior to transitioning in 2022 to serve as the Deputy Chief Administrative Law Judge for the Office of Administrative Hearings. The opinions expressed in this article are hers alone and not those of OAH.

[1] https://america250.idaho.gov/.

[2] My own agency, the Office of Administrative Hearings, has featured an article on who is thought to be the first administrative law judge in the United States, Henry Knox. https://oah.idaho.gov/america250/.  Sadly, “Hashbrown Knox” is not one of the featured “Revolutionary Spuds.”

[3] The “Revolutionary Spuds” are large ‘Spuddy Buddies’ dressed up like our nation’s founders which are both on display in the Capitol or otherwise touring Idaho. This last summer, for example, Bannock and Power Counties hosted “Spudjamin Franklin” at Chubbuck Days. https://sto.idaho.gov/About/Current-News/ArticleID/116/Revolutionary-Spuddy-Buddies-Bring-America250-to-Bannock-County-and-Power-County-Idaho (last accessed February 3, 2026).

[4] Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells your Story.”  Hamilton, directed by Thomas Kail.

[5] Lin-Manuel Miranda, “My Shot.”  Hamilton, directed by Thomas Kail.

[6] Lin-Manuel Miranda, “The Room Where It Happened.”  Hamilton, directed by Thomas Kail.

[7] While this entire article could be on mentorship, my fellow Commissioner, F.J. Hahn, just wrote an article entitled “Ethics, Fiduciary Duties, and a Call for Mentors,” so I will instead steer you towards his article for tips, tricks, and resources if you would like to learn more. The Advocate, October 2025, pp. 6-7.

[8] Lin-Manuel Miranda, “The Schuyler Sisters.” Hamilton, directed by Thomas Kail.

[9] Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Aaron Burr, Sir.” Hamilton, directed by Thomas Kail.

[10] Id.  My Hamilton super-fans will rightfully point out that Hamilton’s point during this exchange is better taken that one must stand up against a tyrannical government, but I digress. (“If you stand for nothing, Burr, what’ll you fall for?”)

[11] Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Guns and Ships.” Hamilton, directed by Thomas Kail.

[12] For programs and opportunities to volunteer, see The Advocate, February 2020, pp. 6-7 and The Advocate, January 2025, pp. 6-7.

[13] Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Farmer Refuted.” Hamilton, directed by Thomas Kail.

[14] I.R.C.P. Preamble, Note 2 (emphases added).

[15] Bjorkman, Attune: Thoughts on Personal Growth, 68 THE ADVOCATE, 8-9 (2025).

[16] Lin-Manuel Miranda, “The Ten Duel Commandments.” Hamilton, directed by Thomas Kail. For my Hamilton super-fans, this was commandment three.

[17] https://isc.idaho.gov/sites/default/files/press-release-documents/2026%20State%20of%20the%20Judiciary.pdf (last accessed February 4, 2026).

[18] Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Non-Stop.” Hamilton, directed by Thomas Kail.

[19] Id.

[20] If you are at this point in your career and not already mentoring another attorney, this is a great opportunity to do so!

[21] Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells your Story.” Hamilton, directed by Thomas Kail.

[22] https://isc.idaho.gov/sites/default/files/press-release-documents/2026%20State%20of%20the%20Judiciary.pdf (last accessed February 4, 2026) (emphasis added).

[23] I.R.C.P., Preamble Note 1.