Dinner for Dad at the Library of Congress
June 10 2006
My blogging will likely be sparse over
the next few days, as I'm taking the first half of the upcoming week as
vacation. Yes, I know it's the week of Microsoft TechEd, and I'm obviously
very sad not to be there.
On Monday, I'll be in Washington DC for a very different kind of event.
My
father, Ralph Brill, is a law professor
at the Chicago-Kent
College of Law. In fact,
he's the senior member of the faculty there, having taught at Kent since
1961. This year, the school and the legal community have bestowed
several forms of recognition on my dad for his achievements over those
45 years. About six weeks ago, the law school kicked off a campaign
for its first
ever endowed "chair"
(no, it's not made of oak or maple, or even one of those kewl Herman-Miller
Aeron thingys that I'd sure like to have). At about the same time,
the winners of the 2006 Burton
Awards for Legal Achievement
were announced. My father is this
year's award winner for outstanding
contributions to legal writing education. The award will be given
during a black-tie dinner at the US Library of Congress, featuring George
Will as guest speaker.
As surreal as it often feels to be a sort of pseudo-celebrity within the
Lotus community, experiencing all this recognition for my father is something
of a much bigger deal. For many years, it's been a standard
occurance to be out to dinner, or a Cubs game, or even shopping at the
mall, and run into some of the 8000 former students of Professor Brill.
So to see him recognized before the who's who of the legal community
on Monday is going to be a real treat.
From Washington, I'm actually flying back to Chicago (have to return the
tuxedo rental LOL) before journeying on to Dublin, where I'll spend the
rest of the week. Looking forward to seeing so many friends and familiar
faces in what some are calling a Lotusphere reunion built around an impressive
User Group event. The timing of all of this couldn't be better.
Post a Comment
- 2
Karen | 6/12/2006 8:27:20 AM
There is nothing more endearing than a son or daughter who not only loves but is proud of his or her parent(s). Congratulations to your dad - he sounds like a wonderful person. And your and his success supports the idea that the leaves don't fall far from the tree.
- 3
Roberto Boccadoro | 6/12/2006 11:16:37 AM
Ed, there is only a wrong word in your post. Pseudo.
RoB
Ed,
I cannot think of a more important honor for your dad that to have you as his son. My guess is that he is justifiably proud of the person who have become as you are of him. I don't know that he reads this blog, but I suspect that he is aware of the respect you command in the electronic community you thrive in, just as you are aware of the respect his former students have for him.
That Ed Brill integrity, drive and sense of humor must have come from somewhere, and I'll bet some of it came from home.
Have a good vacation and enjoy your time with your father.