By the time I met Daniel Hale, I was already established in my legal career.
He was a civilian financial consultant who worked with defense contractors and government suppliers. He was intelligent, funny, and attentive in a way that made me feel as though he noticed things other people overlooked.
We met at a charity dinner organized for military families. I had been invited as a guest speaker, and Daniel approached me afterward to ask about a case I had discussed.
He did not pretend to understand military law. Instead, he asked thoughtful questions.
“You make complicated things sound simple,” he told me.
“I spend a lot of time trying to make sure complicated things don’t become excuses for injustice.”
He laughed.
“That sounds like something my father would hate.”
I thought he was joking.
I would later discover that it was the most honest thing he had said about his family.
