Author: Demario Irving, student writer
ASU alumnus and Birmingham attorney Eric Welch Guster has become a go-to legal analyst for some of the nation’s top news outlets.
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Eric Guster If you’ve ever tuned in to CNN, MSNBC, Fox News or Fox Business to watch coverage of high-profile legal cases, chances are you’ve seen ASU alumnus Eric Welch Guster (‘93) sharing his expert opinion.
The Birmingham attorney has become a go-to commentator for news networks that need an expert to discuss major legal cases and topics.
Guster, who is a regular contributor on Birmingham’s FOX 6, said he has weighed in on cases ranging from the NFL domestic abuse scandal to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.
“FOX 6 is where I got my start being an on-air legal commentator, and my career went to HLN, then expanded to MSNBC, CNN and FOX,” Guster said.
He also has been a legal resource for newspapers such as The Birmingham News, The New York Times and the The Wall Street Journal.
Guster, whose practice, Guster Law Firm, specializes in cases involving serious accidents and injuries, family law and criminal defense, said he became a lawyer for “the thrill of the fight.”
“Being a lawyer was a business decision as well. I knew many lawyers, and it seemed fun,” Guster said. “In my practice, we participate in a lot of trials which are like chess matches. We always try to outthink the competition.”
Guster is known for using a team approach in handling cases and has tripled the staff of his law firm during the past year.
He said he developed tenacity and determination as an ASU student.
“ASU taught me to think for myself and never be afraid,” Guster said. “I remember being in COBA (College of Business Administration) classes and my marketing teacher, the late Mr. Arthur Barnett, was so tough on us and inspired us to be our best at whatever we chose to do.”
Many of the lessons he learned at ASU, and especially from instructors such as Barnett, still are driving forces in his life and career.
“Mr. Barnett was a mentor, he was the best marketing teacher ever,” Guster said. “I use the principles that he taught me in my law firm today. I can see him standing on the desk to illustrate how different marketing styles get to different people. He was awesome!”
Guster also noted that being a member of ASU’s Mighty Marching Hornets band taught him discipline, which he said is essential to being a television analyst.
“You can’t wipe sweat off your nose on T.V., just like you can’t while you are in formation,” he said with a laugh.
Guster earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and finance from ASU in 1993. He later received his Juris Doctor degree from the Birmingham School of Law in 2002.
For more information about Guster Law Firm, visit
www.gusterlawfirm.com. Source:
http://www.alasu.edu/index.aspx
Posted By: How May I Help You NC
Friday, December 12th 2014 at 4:47PM
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