‘He’s the kind of person we want at the firm’
A law student who jumped in to help a Baker McKenzie partner during a train station assault has now started work experience at the firm.
In May, we reported top lawyer John Rowley, 62, had been attacked at the Gallery Place Metro, Washington, allegedly by a group of teenagers. The white-collar crime expert — who works at the global firm’s Washington office — suffered a broken hand during the assault, but realised things could have been far worse had an onlooker not jumped in to help.
Unfortunately, Rowley didn’t catch the have-a-go hero’s name, but did notice he was carrying a book entitled ‘The Law’. At first Rowley assumed his knight in shining armour was a lawyer, but then discovered he was a law student at George Washington University. The law school, ranked 30th in the United States is about a 25-minute walk from the station where the attack took place.
Rowley launched a hunt for the good Samaritan, stating: “I just want to thank him and to let people know that there are really good people out there.” At the time, we speculated:
Legal Cheek understands Rowley is yet to track down his aspiring lawyer saviour. But if he does… odds on Rowley offering him a spot of work experience?
Now guess what’s happened? Rowley was reunited with his saviour, 23-year-old Andrew Miller, and has now offered him a summer associate position at Baker McKenzie’s Washington office. Akin to a vac scheme, the programme gives budding lawyers an introduction to legal practice.
On this, Rowley told The American Lawyer:
I practised law for quite a while now and, frankly, natural leaders are hard to find. When I met [Miller] and I got to know him a little bit, reflecting back on the courage of jumping in, he was the kind of person that we wanted to have here at the firm this summer.
Miller — who suffered a slight concussion after being punched by the train station assailants — was reportedly surprised when he was offered the position. He’s been at the firm since 12 June and seems to be having a good time. “I’m sure I’ll tell my grandkids about it,” he said of the experience.
Two people have been arrested in relation to the assault. A trial is set for 11 July.
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