Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day.
It is common to think that good lawyers stand out in a crowd. In fact, the sad truth is that most lawyers are a commodity item, and in order to stand out, we need to be different. My greatest revelation, as a result of my decade of participating as a clown was that I began to stand out — not only for my legal ability or professionalism, but because I was a clown.
When I was introduced at legal and social gatherings, people would say, “He is a lawyer, but guess what? He is also a clown.” Word of mouth began to spread, and I was eventually featured on a PBS documentary depicting the behind-the-scenes, yearlong preparation to be in the parade. After that, even in serious judicial proceedings when I had made a presentation to the court, I would hear the refrain from the judge, “Mr. Tatelbaum, you’re not clowning around are you?” This would, on occasion, unnerve a client in the courtroom who was unaware of my extracurricular activity.
— Charles M. Tatelbaum, a director at Tripp Scott, in an essay published at Law360, as part of a series where attorneys explain how their “unusual extracurricular activities” have helped them in their careers. In addition to his legal career, Tatelbaum works as a clown on a volunteer basis during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade each year. He says that performing as a clown has enhanced his communication skills, even though, “[t]o [his] sometimes chagrin, [he is] better known as ‘Chuckles the Clown’ than as Charles Tatelbaum the attorney.”
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
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