By: Tory I. Summey, Communications Committee Chair

Landis Wade and I met on a steamy summer afternoon at a brewery. Neither of us billed a minute of time. Between sips of cool Captain Jack pilsner and fruitlessly swatting at a few pesky flies, we talked about his career practicing law, local history, and his latest novel, Deadly Declarations.

The book tells the Charlotte-based story of an unlikely trio of retirees who must solve the mysteries surrounding the death of a beloved member of their retirement community. Why was his manuscript regarding the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence missing and why did he disinherit his beloved granddaughter the day before he died? Unsurprisingly given Landis’ career as a former civil litigator, the protagonist is himself a former trial attorney who reluctantly takes the case. The trio makes its way through familiar sites in the Queen City while wrestling with the City’s claim as the first community in America to declare independence from Great Britain on May 20, 1775.

Besides being an enjoyable exploration of our city, history, and the cycle of life, Deadly Declarations has many reflections about the practice of law that resonated with me. Here’s a sampling of what I discussed with its author:

Transitioning from a thriving litigation practice to being a full-time author

With a big smile, Landis quipped, “I never wanted to be one of those lawyers who dies at their desk. As one of my characters mentions in the book, sometimes the practice of law can feel like the ‘Hotel California’ because some lawyers feel like they can check out but can never leave.”  He always engaged in outside activities, like coaching Little League or Pop Warner football, but eventually stumbled onto writing in his 50s. It started as a short story that he gifted to family and friends around the holidays, a gift which Landis reports must have been as exciting as getting “a pair of socks.”  That story, however, soon became a novella, then two, then a trilogy. Next came the Charlotte Readers Podcast, which has completed more than 300 episodes interviewing authors near and far. Now having written his recent novel, and retired from the practice of law, Landis does not appear to miss the almighty billable hour.

Balancing history with entertainment

When discussing how he faithfully tied his story to the history of the Meck Dec while keeping the reader engaged, Landis began by offering substantial praise to his source material, The First American Declaration of ndependence?: The Disputed History of the Mecklenburg Declaration of May 20, 1775 by Scott Syfert, another Charlotte attorney (go figure). With the support of Syfert’s balanced assessment of both sides of the story, Landis imagined his novel as, in a sense, putting the Meck Dec itself on trial. He explained that while we may no longer have the original document, there are plenty of other types of evidence that may be persuasive: contemporaneous journal entries, eyewitness statements, and even personal notes. A good trial lawyer should be able to marshal this evidence to make the case.

Nevertheless, a good novel also needs excitement. Landis explained that he took the historical narrative as far as possible before resorting to some creative license to give the story some punch. A secret society with questionable motives, venal politicians, and attorneys who could use a few more hours of ethics CLE definitely spiced up the historical record.

Protagonists and antagonists

“A protagonist is only as strong as his antagonist,” Landis reflected. When I asked about the inspiration for his antagonist, a greedy and cruel managing partner of a “Big Law” firm, Landis first made clear that the character bore no relation to his own experiences. However, paraphrasing a comment by the renowned attorney-author John Grisham, Landis explained that sometimes he portrays lawyers as crooks because otherwise he would not sell any books. Landis also cracked that he had to make the character three times as evil as even the worst managing partner to give readers a strong reason to root against him.

The best part of practicing law

We ended our discussion by reflecting on our favorite parts about practicing law. Landis always enjoyed the pressure and excitement of the courtroom. Understandably given his own history as a former football player at Davidson College, he saw the courtroom as “the game” rather than the often tiresome “practice” that precedes it. Landis’ own instincts and strategic thinking shine brightly in his book’s courtroom scenes. Characters reflect on the testimony they have heard and carefully plan their next move. They also consider which questions may be best left unasked with great intuition.

Notably missing from Deadly Declarations are any scenes of the discovery process. We both agree that is a good thing.

The verdict

Was the Meck Dec really the first declaration of independence in American history? Landis hesitates before saying, “You might not be able to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt, but certainly by a preponderance of the evidence!”