This book is about lessons learned (both conferred and received) by a fictional protagonist, E. Randall Mann, who was a law teacher at a major law school for over fifty years. There are nine stories or chapters that comprise this book. The stories appear as written in the first person by Mann and a fictitious student, Billie Williams, who served as Mann’s research assistant after he retired and ultimately wrote two of the stories in remembrance following Mann’s death.
Although the context for the lessons learned is law school and legal education, the lessons are intended to be transcendent. They explore the complex ingredients of life that often enrich us all: courage, resilience, survival, introspection, self-knowledge and self-awareness, death and loss, race, trust, friendship, love, and, above all, inspiration.
“These stories are written by a mentor and colleague who taught law for 51 years and who provided a guiding influence to countless law school students, administrators, and deans. They serve as a wonderful supplement to ‘One L’ by Scott Turow, as they go beyond the first year to offer perspectives throughout the law school experience, including lessons learned from colleagues, mentors, family, and above all students.” — Mike Spivey, Spivey Consulting Group