Uncivil Lawyer War Story: Bully at a Deposition

From an associate at a Boston firm: When I was a first or second year associate, I made the mistake of taking the Rules book with me to a deposition with a particularly contentious opposing attorney.  Not only did he make a snide, "Why don't you look it up in your Rules book" comment, but he must have taken it as a sign that I didn't know what I was doing.  Later, after he attempted intrusive discovery which we opposed by emergency motion, he called me on the telephone and accused ME of over-reaching, yelled at me and threatened to report me to the Board of Bar Overseers.  The clincher was, when I told the partner I was working for what had happened, the partner immediately called the opposing attorney, and the opposing attorney was able to speak quite civilly on the telephone. 

Thank you to all the attorneys, clerks and judges out there who, perhaps remembering their own awkward beginnings, were gracious when I actually did make a mistake (without prejudicing their client's or others' interests). I try to pass it on whenever I can.