Doug Hyldahl completed his major in English at W.W.U. and graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor's degree in English. He then attended the University of Washington School of Law and earned his Juris Doctor degree in 1983. He began his law career working with the Quinault Indian Nation and later with the firm of Shepard & Abbot of Everson, Washington. He joined the Whatcom County Public Defenders Office in 1987 where he has practiced law for the last sixteen years. Mr. Hyldahl will begin private practice again in March 2003 in his partnership of Lester & Hyldahl.

"It's hard to divorce English skills from the practice of law; it's part and parcel of everything you do when you're building a case," he said. "Writing helps me put together my argument. I believe the ability to cogently write helps in the ability to cogently speak," he said.

He remembered an assignment in college when he had to analyze the poetry of Blake and write in concrete terms about abstract ideas. He said this was one of the experiences that gave him confidence that he could practice law.

"It's pretty simple to take concrete facts in the real world and think about them critically-once you've analyzed Blake that becomes very easy," he said.

He suggests for those interested in trial law the best majors to take would be English and theatre.

"Trial law is essentially telling a story and is all about communication." Studies in English develop the ability to communicate verbally, and the study of theatre could really help in communicating non-verbally.