On a quiet Saturday in Washington in June 1972, there weren’t many reporters around at the Washington Post. A news story was breaking. There had been a burglary at a local hotel and someone had to cover the story. Who could the editors get to come in that day for what would likely be fine print in the upcoming edition? Young Bob Woodward, new guy on the block. As he describes it, no one else wanted to come to work that Saturday.  But as he sat in the courthouse later in the afternoon watching the events unfold Bob Woodward knew that what he was learning was going to change the world and his career. A defining moment.

When I graduated law school I dreamed of being a corporate lawyer. I wanted to “do deals”, whatever I understood that to mean as a young lawyer. As I look back, I am not really sure what drew me to corporate work other than it was the mid-80s and deals were plentiful so it seemed the thing to do. But, as it turned out the firm was about to negotiate a huge union contract for a client and it was “all hands on deck” including mine. Soon I knew that my calling was labor/employment law, an area of law that deals with people and which has kept my interest and attention for more than 25 years. A defining moment – perhaps not as significant to the world as Bob Woodward’s but as significant to me.

Have you had a “Bob Woodward moment” in your life?