From the cockpit to the courtroom

When he was unexpectedly called upon to conduct a cross examination in a high-profile trial last week, third-year Brandeis student Robert Brown drew upon his past career.

"I was an airline pilot before law school, so I like the adrenaline rush," he said. "I'm good with pressure. I had 300 people's lives in my hands."

But although he has experience in the air, Brown had never cross examined a witness during a trial -- much less a police officer in a high-profile case with media present.

For the past three years, Brown, who has his limited license, has been fulfilling his pro bono graduation requirement at a local public defender's office. He has been attending hearings for this case and had read the witness statements, but he wasn't aware he'd be called upon to cross examine.

When the attorney asked him to do so, he determined his line of questioning and mapped out where he would stand in the courtroom. He also drew upon the in-class training he'd gotten from Professors Ariana Levinson and Laura McNeal. McNeal had told him she admired his ability to think quickly on his feet. 

"I pictured her before I stood up," Brown said.

Brown, who couldn't disclose much about the case because it is ongoing, said he got good feedback after his cross examination and is thankful for the experience.

"Once you do something like that, it's a building block," he said. "I think that's one of the moments we all have in our legal career."