Quote it! Do you know who in the hell you’re talking to?

Former presidential candidate Thomas Dewey returned to his law practice as a senior partner of the Dewey Ballantine firm in Atlanta, Georgia. He was known as a rather gruff and demanding lawyer.

One Saturday morning he placed a call to his firm from his home in an Atlanta suburb. The telephone rang in the firm’s library and an unsuspecting young associate who was conducting research on other projects picked up the phone.

Mr. Dewey immediately advised the young associate that he needed several hours of research done that day and a written memorandum prepared on an obscure area of law. The associate stumbled through an apology, explaining that he didn’t think he could accommodate such a request because the associate was already there conducting research on several other matters and would likely be struggling just to get those research projects completed before Monday morning.

Mr. Dewey, unable to believe what he was hearing from this young associate, replied angrily, "Young man, do you have any idea just who in the hell you’re talking to?"

The young associate replied, "No, sir."

Mr. Dewey then explained, "Well, you’re talking to Thomas Dewey and I’m the most senior partner in this law firm."

The young associate paused briefly, then gathered up his courage and said, "Well, Mr. Dewey, do you have any idea just who in the hell you’re talking to?"

Mr. Dewey replied, "No."

And with that, the young associate hung up the phone.

– as recounted by Jeffrey McDermott, Attorney and BarBri lecturer, originally appearing in the Fulton Daily County Press