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I don’t have a single research assistant. I am sitting here alone with my books in Miami Beach. I’ve written 6,133 words so far, all by myself. I’ve written every word. I’ve researched every point. I’ll give you an example. Someone sent me an email today that said, you know that a writer named Russell back in 1819 made a point similar to the one you’re making. I looked it up and sure enough, it was similar, so I made it. But I couldn’t find the Russell quote. I told him, look I can’t quote it unless I see it, so he’s going to send it to me. I can’t quote anything I haven’t seen with my own eyes.
I’m not even a computer-skilled person. I work off just an iPhone. Fortunately, you can get every case on an iPhone. My basic research tools are an iPhone and a printer. I read a case, I print it out, I then quote from it. I have the books here. It’s amazing how much things have changed since I started practicing criminal law. When I first started, my wife would make me wear a special outfit because I’d come home so dusty. I’d have to go to the library and go through these 18th-century books. I still enjoy doing that, smelling the old leather.
—Alan Dershowitz, in a persecution complex filled interview with Vanity Fair, breaks down his work process as he prepares his impeachment testimony. Dershowitz also says that his… evolution on whether impeachment requires a crime is a result of “more research” and now he’s “come to different conclusions.”
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).