Valuable Stache?

Listen to this article

Around this time of year plenty of Wisconsinites start to sprout their winter whiskers as a way to round out a good Tom Selleck Halloween costume or to intimidate deer from a tree stand in the north woods.

Whatever the motivation, it’s all about the end product at least for an annual competition sponsored by the American Mustache Institute.

With United States Attorney General Eric H. Holder among the 18 finalists for the 2009 Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year, it begs the question as to whether a good soup strainer is an asset in the legal community.

“It’s a look that I really enjoy as part of my brand,” said Wausau attorney Dean R. Dietrich, who has sported a plush ‘stache since he started practicing in 1977.

“Plus it makes shaving less onerous.”

Dietrich chairs the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Professional Ethics Committee and said facial hair can really work both ways for an attorney, depending on the practice area.

He said in his experience as a labor and employment lawyer at Ruder Ware, union representatives have been known to nickname him “the walrus.”

But someone looking for a corporate business lawyer would probably expect a clean-cut appearance, said Dietrich.

While a pencil thin mustache or clean shaven appearance has no real bearing on the ability to practice law, Dietrich said he’s added a goatee to minimize what he calls a potentially “pompous” look.

“I’ve always been jealous of those people who can grow a full beard, but I sometimes wear my facial hair with pride because it’s not a cookie cutter look,” he said.

So, with winter approaching in the coming months, maybe even days, look for a few more Wisconsin attorneys to add some seasonal facial fur, but don’t expect it to influence their practice of law.