“Honest and Fair” Game (an allegory based on a true story)

By: Jessi Fierro, Chair, CLA Board of Representatives

A few weeks ago, I was mentoring a 6th grade Girl Scout leading a group of 1st grade Girl Scouts in my troop in an activity related to part of the “Girl Scout Law.”  The topic was the importance of being “Honest and Fair” (one part of the “Girl Scout Law”), and the 6th grader told the 1st graders, “We are going to play a game. You have 5 minutes, and you can’t leave the cafeteria. Other than that, there are no rules.” I added, “When the game is over, I want to know who won.” The 6th grader said, “Ok, go!”

The 1st graders laughed and looked confused for about ten seconds, then one said, “Let’s play tag!” and she tagged someone before she started running in the perimeter of the cafeteria. The others followed her, then one tagged her, then that one was tagged. Eventually, some said, “Let’s just race.” They continued running around the perimeter of the cafetaria. A moment later, one of the 1st graders yelled, “Let’s run the other way!” About half of the group changed directions in their jog around the cafeteria, while half kept going the same direction.

The 6th grader called time and called the girls over. Before she could even start her debriefing, one of the 1st graders said, “I have no idea what just happened, but I know I didn’t win.”

The 6th grader and I talked to the younger girls about fairness, and how having rules we can all understand and can follow makes what we do more fair for everyone. They accepted the lesson and the welcome rest from their frantic running of the prior minutes, then moved on to the next activity.

The comedy, chaos, and depth of that 5-minute activity have stuck with me. As lawyers, as volunteers, and even as citizens, we often grapple with parties that may have very different understanding of the rules and objectives, which can frustrate both our own purposes and our collective success. I have certainly had moments along the way where I related to the 1st grade who said, “I have no idea what just happened, but I know I didn’t win.”

How can an association like CLA help us achieve better outcomes for ourselves and our work, particularly in terms of rules and shared objectives? As we participate in CLA, whether as an active volunteer or as a steadfast member, we stay up to date on the latest changes in rules and laws through webinars and conferences. Perhaps we suggest CLE topics and participate in those CLE programs to educate other lawyers on the areas of our expertise. We can mentor law students and new lawyers, and involve them in CLA programs, both to help the next generation of lawyers learn the laws and our profession, and to learn from them in turn as they infuse our programs with fresh energy and perspectives. We can also participate in the development of new statutes and support advocacy for our profession through CLA’s Governmental Affairs Committee or our annual Legislative Days.  Perhaps our Health and Wellness Committee activities or overall sense of community help those moments of, “I know I didn’t win!” feel more manageable. And more…

As I start my year Chairing the CLA Board of Representatives, I continue to be grateful for the collective force, knowledge, and opportunity of our association. I hope we can help more attorneys and law students experience this first-hand. May we be “Honest and Fair” with each other and the broader legal community in all the challenges to come this year!