Christian Conrad Claus:
CLASS OF 1988
Sherwood High SchoolClass of 1988
Sherwood, OR
Willamette University - Law SchoolClass of 1996
Salem, OR
Christian Conrad's Story
Life
I have used my middle name since college, too much confusion from many folks running about with the first name Chris. I visit Oregon rarely nowadays; I am simply too busy with my friends, work and social calendar, teaching, etc. When I have time I ride (though not a Harley, every dorky lawyer rides a Harley), exercise and read.
I live with my girl Cat, the love of my life, and her two teenaged children.
Together we are involved with teaching around the country on subjects related to lifestyle issues, structured power exchanged living arrangements and relationship dynamics.
School
My biggest crush was, of course, Lara. She became my wife which was a mistake for both of us. I am very grateful for the time we could spend together, but our paths were always incompatible. After ten years of marriage we parted company amiciably. While I will leave her to share whatever details she wishes, she is happy and healthy.
I do not think it qualifies as a crush, but I liked Liz Willhoite a great deal and have often hoped she went on to find the happy and fufilled life she deserved. She was a good kid and I am sure she went on to being a good woman.
Not too many teachers inspired me. Whoever that guy was who taught AP History, his complete lack of understanding of the subject inspired me to do my own studying, which has served me well. I still continue to read.
I was not all that impressed by most of the coaching staff of football or, especially, wrestling, but I did not realize how bad they were till I got into college athletics and had competent coaches to compare them against.
There were a few teachers and staff that I liked. Burke, Willy and Kelly come to mind. You might even go so far as to say Burke inspired me.
I do not have too many crystal clear memories of Sherwood High School. So many things have happened since then, so many meories have collected, that reaching back nearly 20 years is a bit difficult.
If I could do it all over again, would I? Nope. I am a way happier and, to be brutally frank, better person now than I was in high school. I am happier than I have ever been. If I had the power to control the inflexible march of time, I would not choose to go back to 1984-88. Instead I would simply stop the march of time and have 2007 last forever. Alas, I have not this power and, like the rest of us, simply wait to see what the future will bring, with a ...Expand for more
bit of premature nostalgia in that this happy time too will pass and a bit of excitement to see what comes next.
There are some folks from high school that I occiasonally am moved to wonder about; Brannigan, Pat, Tony, Bob, Laura, Liz, etc. That being said, if they have changed as much as I have, the people who exist today holding those various names are completely different people from who I knew in high school.
Anyway, if anyone from Sherwood does end up in Vegas, feel free to drop me a ring. I am in the yellow pages under "The Law Offices of C. Conrad Claus" with a small ad in the main section and a big ad in the Criminal Defense section. Tell any of the folks who answer the phone that you are someone I with whom I attended high school and they will not subject you to the normal screening process and put you through.
Workplace
I went to law school, quit because I hated the shallow yuppies who I found there, used my body to make money for a while, decided that would get old (when I got old) and went back to law school. I taught a little martial arts, had a small law office where I did a little of everything, and then, after two years, decided to put in for a job in Las Vegas as a prosecutor for the District Attorney's Office. As over 200 people from all over the country put in for that job, I was a bit surprised when I got it. Over the next 8 years I was able to handle prosecution of every crime under the sun and eventually finished off as a "Special Assignments" prosecutor and instructor at the police academy.
Since leaving the DA's Office I have had a successful private practice. My office Manager is Cat, my gal, was a supervisor with the Feds before leaving to come work with me. She knows her stuff and I am very lucky, in so many ways, to have her.
About 20% of the work I handle is internal affairs investigations where I defend police officer and "critical incident response" which means I have to get up at all hours of the night (or whenever) and respond to the scene of a police shooting, where I am expected to defend the rights of the officers. The rest of the work I do is criminal defense, at state and federal level. While I do handle my share of high profile cases (was on the evening news or local talk shows 42 times last year) for the most part it is straight forward, simple cases, everything from misdemeanor prostitution and assault cases to murders and kidnappings.
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