Thomas Hayes Died Here by John Scholbe

About the book

Thomas Hayes, a third year law student, finds himself at the end of the law school experience unsure of his next step. He has accumulated $70,000 in student debt and all of his associate interviews look bleak.

Everyone, including his two best friends, seems to know where they're headed. Bret Michaels, African-American brilliant, near photographic memory and 80's glam rock connoisseur, has secured employment with a top downtown law firm. Scott Hammerson, chill social expert and aspiring boyfriend of Heidi Klum, intends to parlay his law degree into Hawaiian surfing lessons.

Thomas is trapped between the pressures of finding a job, living a respectful, predictable life and finding the courage to just be -- to discover himself beneath the layers of law school training.

Shuffling through girlfriends, Thomas eventually finds some measure of support and love from classmate Samantha Leiter. For their final law clinic assignment they jointly represent Angie, a green-haired estranged teen charged with drug possession.

Thomas stumbles through his first interview with more questions than answers, spending most of his time mentally shuffling through all of the things he wished he could say.

Angie, her shattered confidence and consuming self-doubt coloring every decision she makes, forms a dysfunctional bond with Thomas, but eventually kills herself for reasons not initially clear to him. Thomas attends Angie's funeral and watches as one of her goth friends gets stuck in a coffin hole. He's certain the consequence of having the only dead client in the history of law clinic will result in a flunking grade.

In the last weeks of law school, Thomas spirals through a dizzying kaleidoscope of failed job interviews, bar exam preparation, drug-selling professors, and a savage attack by a biker bartender at the local school hangout.

Thomas is eventually offered a low level associate position from the eccentric John Higgs, esquire. Totally ignored and without any work assignments, direction, or acknowledgement, Thomas passes time playing solitaire and reading old magazines. Bret Michaels has slipped away into the folds of his plush downtown job and Scott Hammerson is living in Maui and dating the Hawaiian version of Heidi Klum, a high school senior.

His relationship with Samantha frays apart and Thomas descends deeper into his own created tragedy of unfulfilled potential and banal existence that culminates in a final deadly confrontation with John Higgs.

About the author

John is an attorney and partner in his law firm in the Pacific Northwest where he lives with his wife.

He earned a B.A. in English from the University of Washington in 1996 and a J.D. from Seattle University School of Law in 1999. Following a short stint as a public defender where he established himself as a formidable trial attorney, John left to go into private practice, focusing on personal injury, wrongful deaths, and aviation disasters. More recently, he traveled to Asia to represent the families of victims of a China Airlines disaster.

Some of John's favorite past experiences include an independent contractor relationship with Playboy, which culminated in a visit to the Playboy Mansion and a personal lunch with Hugh Hefner and subsequent dinner with some of his friends. He also worked at a local television station and hard a part in a regionally run public service announcement advocating AIDS testing. Also, John has directed, produced, and starred in short, B movies with his friends.

Writing credits include article publication in Lexus, a guest editorial for regional medical providers and the Washington State Bar Association, continuing legal education faculty packets. An Eagle member of the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association, John also worked as an advisor to the Judicial Court Funding Task Force.

John especially enjoys traveling with his wife, playing guitar, and reading. He is currently at work on his second novel.