One Minute with...
Brad did not like deception. When the receptionist put the call through, she had assuredly said it was the Massachusetts Law Review following up on his submitted article on The Disappearing Civil Jury Trial. Alarmingly, the ruse yielded quite a different article. Was it too much to just expect people to be straight with you?
After a strong cross with the Massachusetts Law Review editor, Brad determined the firms receptionist had punked him. The Review, to his chagrin, had seen his profile in People and would print his take on civil juries if he agreed to a few additional questions. Brad's hope was this publication would counter the unprofessional publicity.
The following week, the receptionist brought him his Massachusetts Law Review issue - along with the mornings twenty-three 'while you were out's' from women asking to talk to People Magazines Sexiest Lawyer of 2005.
He turned to page nineteen - and groaned. Maybe he should take Denny up on a meeting with his publicist. Brad could probably use a few pointers on directing the conversation.
One Minute with...
Bradley Chase, J.D.
Junior Partner
Crane, Poole & Schmidt
Boston
Massachusetts Law Review: Do you consider yourself to be a people person?
Chase: Without question. Whatever your politics, we all bleed red, white and blue. People first.
Massachusetts Law Review: What do you dislike about your position as an attorney?
Chase: De-hiring. While unpleasant, the task falls on the ranking authority to follow good business practice - not to mention good business ethics - to disintermediate by cutting out any entity that does not value-add to Crane, Poole & Schmidt. Take, for example, Shore…
Massachusetts Law Review: If you hadn't become successful in the field of law, what other calling could you see yourself in?
Chase: I may still make the transition, depending on my partner track. Our firm accounts would benefit by increasing the number of non-equity partners, replacing us with contract lawyers. If I saw that coming, I would take a position at a military academy, instilling honor and values to a new generation. That - or something covert.
Massachusetts Law Review: Do you have any pet peeves or irritations that might be considered unusual?
Chase: My memos made into paper airplanes; my depositions turned into Dr. Seuss rhymes; escort agencies on my corporate credit card; my law journals being replaced by issues of The Advocate, Ecologist and High Times; the irrational drive among my collegues to wear absurd costumes. *glances at watch* I have more if you have time.
Massachusetts Law Review: Name one thing you want people to know about you, which they might not know.
Chase: I'm not constructed of plastic parts. I'm not GI Joe. * instantly regrets it * I've said enough.
Writer's commentary
[Some thoughts expressed by the Live Journal writer for Brad Chase, prompted by tm_bitsandbytes]
1. How much of a backstory have you developed for Brad and how does it affect the way you write him?
I'd been writing Brad Chase for three months before the series premiered. Turned out some of my fictional leaps of faith landed in muddy waters. He's rigid and authoritarian with one pink elephant of an insecurity - not Alan Shore so much as what Alan has taken from him simply from being present. My take is it came from a lack of approval from an authoritative father. Brad found that acceptance with Denny until Alan stepped in. Brad's loath to show weakness, suppressing it to the extent his colleagues only see an inflexible dogmatic. David E. Kelley may likely come up with a wildly different scenario, but that's our backstory and we're sticking to it. At present.
2. What inspired you to write this particular character?
ABC gave me a gift with three vague phrases: An ex-Marine, brought to Boston from heading up the Washington DC office, reining in loose cannons Denny Crane and Alan Shore. He's embodied in Mark "Keen Eddie" Valley. It wasn't so much inspiration as an imperative.
3. Which personality trait of your character is most different from you?
I'd like to be as moral, confident and driven as Brad Chase.
4. What liberties have you taken with the canon?
He had a personal life for awhile. Canon Brad exists only within the walls of Crane, Poole & Schmidt. Everyone in Theatrical Muse seems to have a personal life, with all the good and bad that goes with it. I'm doing my best to keep him closer to canon now, but I do long to humanize him.
5. Is there a situation that you'd love to throw Brad into and see how he reacts?
This has a high probability to go the way of Euro Disney - a fun idea that will bankrupt all involved - but I toy with Brad Chase and Alan Shore being dropped in a non-legal situation that requires them to not only deal with each other constructively, but have an agreeable experience. Naturally, neither will know what to do with that kind of anomaly and will flee back to their test of wills.
After a strong cross with the Massachusetts Law Review editor, Brad determined the firms receptionist had punked him. The Review, to his chagrin, had seen his profile in People and would print his take on civil juries if he agreed to a few additional questions. Brad's hope was this publication would counter the unprofessional publicity.
The following week, the receptionist brought him his Massachusetts Law Review issue - along with the mornings twenty-three 'while you were out's' from women asking to talk to People Magazines Sexiest Lawyer of 2005.
He turned to page nineteen - and groaned. Maybe he should take Denny up on a meeting with his publicist. Brad could probably use a few pointers on directing the conversation.
One Minute with...
Bradley Chase, J.D.
Junior Partner
Crane, Poole & Schmidt
Boston
Massachusetts Law Review: Do you consider yourself to be a people person?
Chase: Without question. Whatever your politics, we all bleed red, white and blue. People first.
Massachusetts Law Review: What do you dislike about your position as an attorney?
Chase: De-hiring. While unpleasant, the task falls on the ranking authority to follow good business practice - not to mention good business ethics - to disintermediate by cutting out any entity that does not value-add to Crane, Poole & Schmidt. Take, for example, Shore…
Massachusetts Law Review: If you hadn't become successful in the field of law, what other calling could you see yourself in?
Chase: I may still make the transition, depending on my partner track. Our firm accounts would benefit by increasing the number of non-equity partners, replacing us with contract lawyers. If I saw that coming, I would take a position at a military academy, instilling honor and values to a new generation. That - or something covert.
Massachusetts Law Review: Do you have any pet peeves or irritations that might be considered unusual?
Chase: My memos made into paper airplanes; my depositions turned into Dr. Seuss rhymes; escort agencies on my corporate credit card; my law journals being replaced by issues of The Advocate, Ecologist and High Times; the irrational drive among my collegues to wear absurd costumes. *glances at watch* I have more if you have time.
Massachusetts Law Review: Name one thing you want people to know about you, which they might not know.
Chase: I'm not constructed of plastic parts. I'm not GI Joe. * instantly regrets it * I've said enough.
Writer's commentary
[Some thoughts expressed by the Live Journal writer for Brad Chase, prompted by tm_bitsandbytes]
1. How much of a backstory have you developed for Brad and how does it affect the way you write him?
I'd been writing Brad Chase for three months before the series premiered. Turned out some of my fictional leaps of faith landed in muddy waters. He's rigid and authoritarian with one pink elephant of an insecurity - not Alan Shore so much as what Alan has taken from him simply from being present. My take is it came from a lack of approval from an authoritative father. Brad found that acceptance with Denny until Alan stepped in. Brad's loath to show weakness, suppressing it to the extent his colleagues only see an inflexible dogmatic. David E. Kelley may likely come up with a wildly different scenario, but that's our backstory and we're sticking to it. At present.
2. What inspired you to write this particular character?
ABC gave me a gift with three vague phrases: An ex-Marine, brought to Boston from heading up the Washington DC office, reining in loose cannons Denny Crane and Alan Shore. He's embodied in Mark "Keen Eddie" Valley. It wasn't so much inspiration as an imperative.
3. Which personality trait of your character is most different from you?
I'd like to be as moral, confident and driven as Brad Chase.
4. What liberties have you taken with the canon?
He had a personal life for awhile. Canon Brad exists only within the walls of Crane, Poole & Schmidt. Everyone in Theatrical Muse seems to have a personal life, with all the good and bad that goes with it. I'm doing my best to keep him closer to canon now, but I do long to humanize him.
5. Is there a situation that you'd love to throw Brad into and see how he reacts?
This has a high probability to go the way of Euro Disney - a fun idea that will bankrupt all involved - but I toy with Brad Chase and Alan Shore being dropped in a non-legal situation that requires them to not only deal with each other constructively, but have an agreeable experience. Naturally, neither will know what to do with that kind of anomaly and will flee back to their test of wills.