Amy Goodusky
Amy F. Goodusky, a former paralegal, rock 'n' roll singer and horseback riding instructor, is of counsel at O'Brien, Tanski & Young in Hartford.
Legal Ease
Unexpected Attendance At An Uplifting Ceremony
Monday, June 28, 2010 | by Amy Goodusky | The Connecticut Law Tribune
You never know what you're going to get at the short calendar. Certainly, it depends on the jurisdiction, but things are seldom more predictable in Hartford than they are in New Britain or Stamford. A recent Monday was a case in point. I appeared on behalf of a colleague, who was otherwise engaged. This appears to be a pattern, but I digress. It was raining.
Legal Ease
Feeling Out Of Place At Lawyers' Party
Monday, June 21, 2010 | by Amy Goodusky | The Connecticut Law Tribune
I was invited to a reception recently. This was a rare occurrence, as I suffer from a malady known as sociabilitus incompetus, which renders me unable to deal with people in groups holding cocktails and talking about nothing. This hearkens back to my days as a student at a local preparatory school, which shall remain unnamed, as its deficiencies should not be explored outside the confines of a therapy group, but I digress.
Legal Ease
In Praise Of The Pre-Trial
Monday, June 7, 2010 | by Amy Goodusky | The Connecticut Law Tribune
Recently, I attended two pre-trial conferences in geographically separate courts. I love pre-trials. They offer an opportunity for opponents to sling inadmissible mud at each other in the presence of the court with impunity. The events are always noteworthy, as they take place out of earshot of a stenographer, and are therefore juicier than the usual arid proceedings.
Legal Ease
Nature Of The Beast
Monday, May 17, 2010 | by Amy Goodusky | The Connecticut Law Tribune
The opinion of the Connecticut Appellate Court in Dow-Westbrook v. Candlewood Equine Practice LLC landed on my desk after being launched by a member of my firm, describing a gymnastic parabola, and falling on the floor, as the disappearing partner muttered, "I think you could get a column out of this."
Legal Ease
Meditations To Calm The Edgiest Lawyers
Monday, May 10, 2010 | by Amy Goodusky | The Connecticut Law Tribune
Recently, an acquaintance presented me with a small book. It was devoted to meditation. Perhaps the individual in question did not know me well, or knew me altogether too well. In particular, the donor either recognized or failed to recognize that I am entirely too twitchy to lie down, say "om" and allow my mind to empty itself until it is on a par with the brainpan of Paris Hilton.
Legal Ease
For Lawyers, Writing Book Is No Novel Idea
Monday, April 19, 2010 | by Amy Goodusky | The Connecticut Law Tribune
Previously, I have devoted a column or two to the startling realization that everyone and his mother-in-law's camel is contemplating, has filed or would love to file, a civil action against someone else. I have been waylaid in the grocery store, in line at the funeral home, and in the barn aisle, forced by politeness to endure the story of the wronged individual, his umbrage and his desire to (a) get even, or (b) receive a lavish monetary award conferred by a jury of his peers.
Legal Ease
Dealing With Judges In A Different Arena
Monday, April 12, 2010 | by Amy Goodusky | The Connecticut Law Tribune
Recently, I had an unusual encounter with a judge. It was not in court, but in another arena where my performance is subject to scrutiny: the dressage ring. By comparison with dressage judges, the Connecticut Appellate and Supreme courts look relaxed, kindly and forgiving. At the horse show, there is a scribe, who records all the nasty comments made by the judge during your ride on a score sheet.
Legal Ease
Search Engines Can Be Imprecise Instruments
Monday, April 5, 2010 | by Amy Goodusky | The Connecticut Law Tribune
My search engine needs a tune-up. Possibly, it requires a valve job, battery replacement and oil change, to say nothing of the transmission. Or maybe it's the shocks. As a medical malpractice defense attorney, practically my entire professional life depends on plugging the right words into a rectangular space on a screen, arranging them in precise order, in relationship to one another, imposing various limitations on how they are used, sighing heavily, and hitting "enter."
