Our second alumnus profile on Rhetoric Notes is of R. Scott Medsker ’03.  Mr. Medsker was a Rhetoric and Political Science double major.  A class agent, Medsker was active on campus in a number of organizations including the Kappa Sigma fraternity and the Sphinx Club, he was an annual participant in Moot Court, and he spent a semester studying in England.  He also was the lead author of a rhetorical analysis of the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Nixon. After Wabash he attended Catholic University, where he obtained his J.D., and clerked for the honorable C. Arlen Beam, Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, before joining a law firm.

TFM: Please tell us a little about the law firm you work at—where it is, its areas of practices, etc.

RSM: I work for the international law firm Jones Day in its Washington, D.C. office.  We were founded in 1893 in Cleveland and now have over 2,400 attorneys in 32 offices covering North America, Europe, and Asia.  We count over 250 of the Fortune 500 as our clients and specialize in litigation, including antitrust and competition law, labor and employment, appellate litigation, product liability, and mergers and acquisitions to name some of our strongest fields.  Recently, we helped Chrysler through its bankruptcy proceedings and won a large case for DIRECTV--a case that was headed by another Wabash alumnus in our DC office, Greg Castanias, '87.

TFM: What areas of practice do you specialize in?

RSM: I work in our Labor & Employment group and specialize in employment discrimination class actions, traditional labor (such as disciplinary arbitrations and collective bargaining), and employee benefits issues.

TFM: What do you do on a day-to-day basis?

RSM: Every day is different, and that is part of what makes the job great.  But the one thing that is constant is that I'm communicating all day, every day, whether it is counseling clients, reporting up to my senior colleagues, or drafting arguments to a court.

TFM: What do you most enjoy about your job?

RSM: I enjoy the pressure, the high stakes, and the problem-solving, particularly for employers in a rough economy like we are currently experiencing.  But what I most enjoy is the ability to work with good, talented people to try and help clients tackle some very difficult issues and, hopefully, bring their business out of a potential problem stronger than they could have expected.

TFM: How did Wabash help prepare you for your future?

RSM: Two ways come to mind, both dealing with communication.  First, Wabash helped me to find my "voice" and to have the confidence to make it heard.  Because the community and classes were so small, I was required to think about an issue, form an opinion, and then share and defend it, whether against students or professors.  That gave me a confidence in communication that I think some young professionals lack.  And second, Wabash refined the communication, making me a better writer and speaker than I could have been at a lot of other schools, in part, again, because of the individualized nature of the education.  Being clear and concise in argument or explanation goes a long way in the legal profession.

TFM: Do you have a favorite Wabash memory that you would share with us?

RSM: Fall Saturdays and being at any Wabash Football game, though "The Catch" and winning at Wittenberg on their homecoming in the Fall of 2002 stand out.  Being able to welcome my brother to campus and sharing two years of Wabash with him was a fantastic experience as well.

TFM: What is something about Wabash that you miss?

RSM: Having it around you, all the time.  I was back on campus in September and it was so nice to be able to sit on the Mall and do nothing.  For those of you who move away, you'll be surprised how much it means to come back.

TFM: What sort of academic and/or extra-curricular advice would you offer today’s Wally?

RSM: Work hard, both in and out of the classroom, but play hard too.  You'll never have another opportunity like the years you have now, so don't waste them.

TFM: Any final comments?

RSM: I've been very lucky to continue my Wabash experience, though not on campus, as an alumnus involved in my local regional association, which I'd encourage everyone to do.  And if you can get your family involved in Wabash, all the better.  My wife, Lauren (who went to the all-women's college Agnes Scott), is a huge fan of Wabash and fortunately lets me indoctrinate my five month old, Davis, who we hope will be in the Class of 2031. (picture at right is of Scott and Davis) 

If you would like to share your story and news with Rhetoric Notes please contact Todd McDorman (mcdormat@wabash.edu).