CHICAGOLAWBULLETIN.COM MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018 ® Volume 164, No. 206 Serving Chicago’s legal community for 163 years GENERATION ESQ. Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP partner Evan Whitfield spent six years playing professional soccer, mostly with the Chicago Fire. He was a defender for the American Olympic team at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney; the U.S. came in fourth place that year. David Thomas Professional gooooooooooooooooooooals experience. I wanted stability, BYDAVIDTHOMAS Soccer star turned attorney says life in sports, longevity and something focused Law Bulletin staff writer on helping others instead of being ‘more absurd,’ ‘less glamorous’ than believed so focused on myself. It’s been years since Evan Whit- I also wanted to continue to be field traded in his cleats for a law in an adversarial and competitive degree. fessional soccer career playing his time in the courtroom, and environment, so my agent talked Still, the 41-year-old Schiller with the Chicago Fire. His last what his favorite sports movie is. me into going to law school to be- DuCanto & Fleck LLP partner season was at Real Salt Lake. LB: What made you decide to come a lawyer. I was a founding said he sees a lot of similarities be- Whitfield was a defender for the go into law after a six-year ca- member of the MLS Players’ tween his family law practice and U.S. at the 2000 Summer Olympic reer as a professional soccer Union, so I had experience work- the game of soccer. Both require Games in Sydney; the U.S. came player? ing with lawyers while I played. Whitfield to constantly evaluate in fourth place that year. EW: While I enjoyed the team The family law focus was what I — and adapt to — the situation on In a written Q&A, Whitfield work and competition of athletics, naturally gravitated toward after the fly. told the Daily Law Bulletin how I wanted a career that in many getting an understanding of the Whitfield spent most of his pro- his time on the pitch helps with ways was the opposite of my past different areas of practice. Copyright © 2018 Law Bulletin Media. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Law Bulletin Media.LB: How has your experience designs, after kickoff, everything may change throughout the case) e-mail and texts first to see what on the field translated to your law goes into motion without regard while adapting to the fluid nature has occurred in my clients’ lives practice? to anyone’s plans. A good player of the present have given me an from the evening before. EW: Dealing with the infinite constantly assesses all of the advantage. LB: What TV show did you just variability of a soccer game and aforementioned factors in the LB: What do you think are your finish binge-watching? pressure to perform when it mat- present moment and acts and biggest accomplishments so far, EW: “The Handmaid’s Tale” ters have helped me most in my readjusts accordingly. with respect to your legal career? LB: What is your favorite sport- legal career. In soccer, not only do Family law is similar in that the EW: Going back to school at 29, related TV show or movie? you have to know the characteris- number of factors that affect the being the oldest law clerk at EW: The undisputed best tics of your 10 teammates, you outcomes and the constant fluidity Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP sports-related movie is “Bull also have to know the character- of any particular family’s situation and then putting in the hours to Durham.” I’m not a huge baseball istics of the opposing 11 players are endless. What kind of case is be elevated to partner is some- fan but I love the perspective of- and how the respective match-ups it? Who are the attorneys? Who is thing I am extremely proud of. fered in “Bull Durham.” may play out. the judge? What are the facts and LB: What are your long-term Most people think only of the Each field is different; every how do they relate to the relevant goals for your legal career? top players with long careers. The referee has their own style of law? Is your judge interested in EW: My long-term goals are to Messis and Ronaldos of the world managing a match and the weath- hearing all the details or do they continue practice and mastery of are a rare breed. The life of your er is never a given. Your team’s want you to cut to the chase? my craft. average professional athlete per- current position in the league Is mediation appropriate de- LB: What is the first app you sonified by Kevin Costner’s Crash table, whether you are home or spite the acrimonious initial use on your smartphone when you Davis is far more common and away and who your next opponent pleadings? How is your client re- wake up in the morning? “Bull Durham” is a hilarious and is may all affect how the present acting? Has someone lost a job? EW: If I have my life in order, irreverent look into that world. game is approached and played. Changed careers or gotten sick? then I typically wake up and do 10 Professional sports are a lot Most importantly, regardless of My ability to continually assess to 15 minutes on the Calm app be- more absurd and a lot less glam- the prior week’s training, the the present circumstances in re- fore starting my day. If work is orous than what most people think. coaches’ tactics, or one’s personal lation to the client’s goals (that hectic, then I typically check my dthomas@lawbulletinmedia.com Copyright © 2018 Law Bulletin Media. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Law Bulletin Media.