Bench & Bar July/August 2025

Conor Houston also shared a meaningful personal connection with the Kentucky Bar Association through his friendship with the late William T. (Bill) Robinson III, a towering figure in both Kentucky and national legal circles. During Mr. Robin son’s tenure as president of the American Bar Association, he and Conor developed a close collegial relationship rooted in their shared commitment to advancing the legal profession and promoting access to justice on both sides of the Atlantic. Conor spoke with warmth and admiration about Bill’s enduring influence, recounting personal anecdotes that highlighted not only Bill’s professional acumen but his generosity of spirit. It was both moving and inspiring to hear such heartfelt reflections on one of Kentucky’s most esteemed legal leaders— spoken with genuine reverence from across the ocean. His legacy, clearly, continues to resonate far beyond the Commonwealth. Likewise, discussions with distillers and brand owners at Teeling Whiskey illumi nated how trademark protections and EU regulatory policies impact global commerce. These sessions underscored the increasingly international nature of even the most local

practice areas—from intellectual property to estate planning with foreign assets. The CLE Abroad program is more than a professional perk—it is a personal and intel lectual investment. Participants earned CLE credits while engaging in rich dialogue with global counterparts, all while standing in the very halls where landmark decisions were shaped. Whether walking through Dublin’s cobbled legal quarter or hearing echoes of constitutional strife along Belfast’s Peace Walls, attorneys were reminded of the law’s enduring role in shaping society. The 2025 journey to Ireland was a resound ing success, not only for the quality of its CLE programming but for the bonds it cre ated among Kentucky attorneys and their counterparts across the Atlantic. For those who could not attend, future CLE Abroad opportunities promise similarly transfor mative experiences. In a profession rooted in precedent, the CLE Abroad program offers Kentucky lawyers the chance to make new ones—across bor ders, disciplines, and worldviews.

Watch for upcoming announcements from the Kentucky Bar Association on future CLE Abroad destinations. Whether your practice is in litigation or transactions, family law or federal defense, these experi ences offer education that goes far beyond the classroom.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR KELLY KIRBY RID INGS , a native of Flemingsburg, Ky., cur rently practices law with the firm Hamm, Milby & Ridings, PLLC, in London, with her husband of 18 years, Jay. Ridings graduated cum laude

from the University of Kentucky in 2003. She received her J.D. from Northern Ken tucky University Chase College of Law in 2007. She was admitted to the Kentucky Bar in 2007. She is also licensed to prac tice in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky as well as the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. She focuses her practice on family law as well as federal criminal defense, including appellate work.

51 bench & bar