Interview with Chris Popov, Vinson & Elkins
AYLA welcomes Chris Popov as the president of the organization for the 2009 – 2010 bar year.
1) Let's start with everyone's favorite question: Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a commercial litigator at Vinson & Elkins. I have a beautiful wife, two adorable kids, and a dog to boot. Austin is home, but I was raised in Louisiana and still have a strong affinity for its food, culture, and football.
2) Why did you first get involved with AYLA?
It really started as a way for me to expand my professional network. I graduated from UT Law School, but am not from Austin, and I felt like a bit of an outsider when I started practicing. I wanted to feel connected to the Austin legal community — not just to big firm life, but to the profession as a whole. I saw AYLA as an avenue to connect with the community in ways that would be impractical to do on my own. Of course, after I joined, I learned that AYLA is much more than a networking opportunity. While I still enjoy maintaining professional and personal relationships through the bar, it's the community service that keeps me energized about AYLA.
3) What part of being a young lawyer do you find the most rewarding?
In a word, advocacy. I love stepping into a complex legal or factual dispute, learning everything about it, distilling it to its important points, and presenting it in a way that taps into the decision-maker's sense of justice. No matter how complex or mundane the issue may be, underlying the dispute are basic themes of human conflict — greed, deception, carelessness, pride, etc. My most rewarding moments as a lawyer have involved tapping into those themes, and telling my client's side of the story in that context, win or lose.
4) If you could impart one piece of wisdom on the first year lawyer, and make it stick, what would that be?
Find what it is about the law that you are passionate about, and invest yourself completely in mastering your craft. If you're not passionate about the law, find another job. The legal profession is far too challenging to be in it just for the money or prestige. The best lawyers I know, without exception, are grinders who love what they do.
5) What has been your most rewarding AYLA experience thus far?
There have been many, but our youth services projects make me proudest of our profession. Several years ago I taught a high school class about jury selection together with an Austin federal judge and distinguished solo practitioner. The idea was to educate high school seniors, who were soon to be available for jury duty, on why our jury system is important and what to expect if they are summoned.
In explaining the reasons for preemptory strikes, we told the class that the goal was to select an unbiased jury who could be fair to the litigants in the case. After we finished our mock selection and explained the reasons for our strikes, a very bright student in the back of the class challenged us: We weren't interested in selecting an unbiased jury, she said, we were interested in selecting a jury that would be favorable our clients. Of course she was absolutely right, but her comments gave us an opportunity to discuss the principles of the adversary system, and particularly how the goal of the system (as opposed to the individual litigants) was fairness. It is deeply rewarding to see a young person take interest in what you're doing and begin to understand for herself how the world works.
6) What do you do with your spare time?
I have many interests, certainly more than I have time for. In no particular order, live music, exercise, cooking, reading, college sports, hiking, soccer, tennis, and fishing would all make the list. But mostly in my down time I hang out at home with my family. And that's fine by me.
