Bench & Bar September/October 2025

What advice would you give to attorneys about the appellate process? Read the Rules of Appellate Procedure many times over, and often. Find a way to make a habit of regularly reading, at least a summary of, both the Court of Appeals cases and the Kentucky Supreme Court cases. Lastly, make sure you consider whether the state constitution is implicated in your case initially and, if so, pursue it throughout the litigation. Have there been any particular people that have significantly impacted your career? If so, who were they and can you describe their impact? Like everyone, there have been many people who have influenced me over the years. But my parents, who were bright but modest and without much formal education, taught me to work excessively and to follow the rules without expecting any special favors. Those lessons served me well. I also had many neighbors and teachers who showed me they cared about me. I try to model their efforts and offer up help and advice to young people I encounter. What do you currently believe are the biggest challenges facing the legal profession? Mental health remains a big challenge for the legal profession. We see that in our review of attorney discipline cases. Law yers feel relentless pressure to show up, to always be “on,” and to maintain an unshake able image of reliability and competency. Clients expect perfection and, often, expect it to be done pro bono. Consider practicing in a small town. Espe cially if your roots are in rural Kentucky, think about the impact you can have on the community that raised you. Regard less of where you practice, make yourself an invaluable asset, not just for your skills as a lawyer, but also through your capac ity to improve the lives of those who may not otherwise have the same opportunities. What advice would you give to new lawyers?

Last year the Supreme Court appointed a task force of lawyers to undertake a thorough review of the Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure. Can you provide an update on where things stand with the task force and the changes it is considering? Justice Pamela Goodwine is leading the Civil Rules Task Force which is chaired by David Kramer. Other members include Wil liam Pinkston, Flora Stuart, Martha Brown, Christopher Schaefer, Mindy Barfield and Richard Martin. They presented their rec ommendations to the Bar at our most recent Annual Convention and the members pres ent could comment. Our Court will take those recommendations up in the coming year. Meanwhile, members may submit com ment via ruleamendments@kycourts.net. You’re from a rural part of the Commonwealth. Can you share your thoughts about the opera tion of the courts and the prac tice of law in the rural portions of the state? How good a job is the judicial system doing in rural Kentucky? We have well-trained and talented Judges across the state. I don’t think there is much difference in the way cases are handled, rural vs. urban. But the parking is much easier in rural jurisdictions! And now with most Judges permitting Zoom appearances across the state, travel issues have lessened. How good are our rural Judges? They are just as good as urban Judges, with the same training, talent and code of ethics. Get involved in your local Bar organization, volunteer with nonprofits, and join civic groups that align with your personal values. Mentor someone. Provide pro bono services as often as you can. Challenge the stereo types you hear people commonly attribute to lawyers. Be respectful to your fellow members of the bar; zealous representation does not require antagonism, and, while you may represent your client against his or her adversary, they and their counsel need not also be your adversary. Practice kindness,

With the election of Justice Goodwine, the composition of the Supreme Court has tilted to four women and three men. Membership amongst the Court of Appeals is evenly split between seven female and seven male Judges on the bench, and women are near parity with men in the ranks of Kentucky Trial Judges. When you began your legal career, did you imagine that women would one day achieve the prominence they have in the profession? The days of using gender as a measuring stick for progress in Kentucky’s judicial system have long since passed. I will always remember that Judge Judy West was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 1987, my second year of law school. That ceiling has been broken for decades. The Court of Appeals is now equally male and female, since Justice Goodwine left the Court of Appeals for the Supreme Court and Judge Will Moynahan having been appointed by the Governor. When I graduated UK Law in 1989, there was a growing percentage of women law students, perhaps about 40 percent. So yes, I did believe women were going to be necessarily big participants in the legal field, in private and public roles. We are just one of the members of the Bar, as it should be once we demonstrated our skills and competence, decades ago. for it can rarely steer you off course. Treat every day as a new opportunity; learn from yesterday but do not let yesterday define you. Lastly, quickly own and fix each mis take you make. If needed, engage others to help fix the mistake, especially if you are overwhelmed by it. You aren’t perfect and your practice of law won’t be either. But developing a good response to this human reality will help you maintain competency and good outcomes for your clients.

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