i sat down in our civil procedure class next to a person who turned out to be named chris highland. ortly thereafter chris stevens sat down next to me. the three of us went to lunch afterwards and became friends from that day forward. chris never tried to be someone special but he was someone special. when we were at hastings his charm and wit were on display from the start. in class he was very articulate and seemed as later in life always very poised and well spoken and at ease. i think our professors loved him. he liked being a student, even studying at the national war college a few years ago. he always seemed to genuinely enjoying studying and debating and was immersed in classes and activities of the school. particularly the hastings law journal, where he became managing editor. he very much liked the art of argument and trial law. he used to go to the courts nearby to watch very high profile trials and legendary judges and litigators. while he spent lots of times on the hastings campus, whether in library or out on what is called the beach in front of the school, he also liked