My gratitude

Everyone,

 

On Saturday, October 23rd, I will mark my Tenth Anniversary as a member of the Kentucky Bar.  I have been in private practice now for more than Nine of those years, having begun my career as a public servant.  I am so grateful to John Frith Stewart for giving me the opportunity (more than Nine years ago) to practice law and to also be a working attorney for labor and in my "home" County - Oldham County, Kentucky.  Thank you, John.

 

I began practicing law before I was passed the Bar.  It was legal. 

 

I was sworn in to practice as an intern for the Commonwealth's Attorney's office in Jefferson County, Kentucky, in the fall of 1999.  So, if that is my "starting point", I am actually now beginning my 12th year of practice. 

 

My first mentor at the Commonwealth's Attorney's office was Laura New.  I worked for her in 1998 and 1999 preparing draft responses to motions to suppress in drug cases.  I learned a great deal about this area of the law while working on these tasks.  It has been helpful to me time and time again since then.  Commonwealth's Attorney David Stengel was not sure that I could work for free, but that is what I offered him.  When he found out I could work for free, I was "hired."

 

My second mentor at the Commonwealth's Attorney's office was Doug Kemper.  I worked with Doug in the Fall of 1999 and the Spring of 2000.  Doug taught me how to handle probation and parole revocation hearings and how to prepare for criminal trials.  We worked together on cases concerning embezzlement (hundreds of thousands of dollars), rape, wanton murder, and capital murder.  I learned a great deal from him. 

 

I began my first criminal trial under the supervision of another Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, Scott Davis.  I was sitting in the first chair.  Scott worked the second chair.  An improper question was asked, an appropriate objection was raised, and the judge declared a mistrial.  I was to be graduating from law school soon thereafter, so I did not get to bring that case before a jury a second time.  It happened and I do not hold any grudge.  This will sometimes happen.  It is part of being a lawyer. 

 

I am grateful to have had all of those experiences.

 

I am grateful to Laura New, Dave Stengel, Doug Kemper, and Scott Davis for all that they taught me.

 

While I was studying for the bar exam, I worked as a law clerk for Judge Sara Combs, of Stanton, Kentucky.  She offered me a job without funds in her budget to pay me.  She later obtained the funds and I was paid for all of the time that I worked for her.  I still have no idea how she raised the money.  She taught me so much about the appellate practice.  The first case that I worked on (prepared a draft) was done well, but Sara instructed me to look at the video tape, again, and to rewrite it with the exact opposite outcome.  I did what she asked and the entire panel agreed with her outcome (the "second" draft).  The case was later appealed to the Kentucky Supreme Court and that Court reversed Sara's opinion - mirroring exactly my first draft.  I am not gloating.  Sara and I have talked about this and we both agreed that it was a case that could have gone either way.  She taught me a valuable lesson in understanding that there may be more than one side to a story.  I will be forever grateful for the lessons that she taught me. 

 

I worked for Judge Joseph Huddleston, of Bowling Green, as a staff attorney from August 2000 until August 2001 (when I came to work with John). Judge Huddleston taught me how to argue a case before an appellate judge, and how write an opinion worthy of publication.  Joe adopted in full several of my drafts.  Several are now published opinions of law in Kentucky.  I am proud of that.  Joe helped me to achieve that by giving me the opportunity, and by guiding me to produce those opinions.  In that year, I prepared draft opinions for more than 60 appellate cases.  I will be forever grateful for the lessons that he taught me and the opportunity to have pride my work.

 

I am also very grateful to all of you who are receiving this message and all of the legal staff that I have had the pleasure of working with and knowing during my years of practice.  I thank you for all that you have done.  Without you, it would be impossible to practice law effectively.

 

This gratitude is my gift.  I wanted to tell you this and to thank you for this gift.

 

I worked for about 30 minutes on this, so I will send you a bill for my time.

 

Sincerely,  Steve