The Call
Taking personal calls during work hours is something that we all do, even if some employers frown upon that. We’re only humans, after all, and our job is not the center of our lives; sometimes, more pressing things come up that require our attention. However, it’s a little different for a lawyer during a trial.
Putting a trial and hold to take a personal phone call is definitely unprofessional. Unless it’s a medical emergency involving close family, I can’t imagine a scenario where that would be okay. The judge in the story clearly felt the same way, seeing as this lawyer lost the case. Or maybe he just had a weak case and bad arguments – who knows?