3 Trial Lawyer • Fall 2020 happy in complacency and mediocrity. I eventually learned my dad was bi- polar, though he was undiagnosed and untreated until my freshman year of college. As a result, I grew up with a fa- ther who was severely depressed and had trouble communicating. He struggled to make ends meet, and because of that, we were frequently evicted, causing me to change schools often. I’ve also had to lay my head in some interesting places. I’ve lived in several rundown houses and have been home- less. I’ve converted basements and barns into bedrooms. I’ve slept in laundry rooms. I’ve lived in a small trailer with six other people. When the weather would allow, I preferred to sleep outside under the stars. Good things Fortunately, I crossed the path of someone who helped me see the potential for a positive future in life. The man I always knew as my grandfather — my dad’s second wife’s adopted father — truly inspired me. He was a former teacher, athletic director and football coach at Grants Pass High School who, in his retired life, ranched cattle. He recognized my struggles and did what he could to help. I found every opportunity I could to stay with him on his ranch. There, I would work, and work hard. In return he would try to give me enough money to buy a pair of blue jeans that fit, a pair of shoes or perhaps some socks that didn’t have holes in them. He didn’t have much, but he’d give the shirt off his back for me and my siblings. He was a giant in my life who gave me the encouragement and confidence to try to normalize myself, including working hard in school and trying out for sports. High school sports became a refuge for me. I excelled in football, basketball and track, becoming one of the state’s top athletes. I also had a knack for academics and won a chemistry scholarship to at- tend Linfield College — my choice of schools at the time. At Linfield, I was able to reinvent myself, no longer just the poor kid from the wrong side of the tracks. I was truly happy for one of the first times in my life. However, soon after I departed for college, my father hit his lowest point. He attempted suicide several times and needed to be institutionalized. I moved closer to home to take care of him, giving up my academic scholarship and transfer- ring to Southern Oregon University. Given that I was no longer on schol- arship, I worked graveyard several nights per week at a plywood mill in Grants Pass, where I also helped take care of my dad. He did great once they found the correct medication for him. However, he would often stop taking it, which re- sulted in the same suicidal behavior, sometimes promising he would take me with him. Thankfully, my father soon realized he had to stay on his medications to remain safe, and he has been great at doing so ever since. The test of adversity Somehow, I was able to go to college, take care of an ill parent, work graveyard shift, play two college sports and still graduate at the top of my class. Because of what I’d been through, I knew I wanted to help others. I planned to go into federal law enforcement. I felt I had something to share with the world, and that seemed the best option. As luck would have it, the father of my college sweetheart was an attorney who convinced me to give law school a try. He said, “For someone who’s been through so much, law school should be a breeze.” I took up the challenge, per- formed well on the LSAT and was ac- cepted on scholarship to the University of Oregon School of Law. Three years later, I passed the bar, was married to that girl and became a partner in her father’s firm. I will always be grateful to the most pivotal father figures in my life: the first being my grandfather who gave me the courage and confidence to pull myself out of the gutter. The second being my father-in-law, former OTLA President Roy Dwyer. We don’t choose our parents or the families we are born into. Yes, I had it rough. However, I wouldn’t change any of it. All I’ve been through has made me the person I am today — the loyal hus- band, the devoted father, the dedicated advocate for those who have been harmed. I became a trial lawyer in part to honor my grandfather and in part to honor my father-in-law. But it is in larg- est part to prove that bad experiences can make for good people — particularly when I have the honor of serving folks with life experiences not too different from my own. We are all in this together. And for that, I am proud to serve as your OTLA President. Tim Williams specializes in personal in- jury and product liability. He is a manag- ing partner at Dwyer Williams Cherkoss Attorneys PC, where he serves as the lead litigation attorney. He contributes to the OTLA Guardians of Civil Justice at the Stalwart level. His office is located at 1558 SWNancyWay, Ste 101,Bend, OR 97702. Williams can be reached at 541-617-0555 or
[email protected]. TimWilliams at a younger age.