Coffee Break with Justices Marla Luckert and Caleb Stegall
by Sarah Stula
Justice Marla Luckert
A
s T.S. Eliot once said: “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.” The same could probably be said about my years in law school. But one of the best pieces of advice I got in law school was about coffee—set aside the books (especially the Blue Book), get out of the library and take a lawyer to coffee. And not just because you need the caffeine (though you certainly do), but because you need mentors. The same advice still rings true as a young lawyer. One of my favorite shows on Netflix is “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” hosted by Jerry Seinfeld. The premise is simple—Jerry takes a famous comedian, like Tina Fey or Steve Martin, out for a short coffee break in some snazzy car. Then the two chat about life, the grind of making a career out of comedy and lessons learned along the way. The show is, of course, hilarious. But it also reminds me of the “coffee break” culture that we, as busy young lawyers, have all too often lost. Yes, I’m saying it’s time to follow Jerry’s example and take a lawyer you admire to coffee. (Minus the snazzy car because we are, after all, young lawyers.) So today, I invite you take a coffee break with me and two of the lawyers I admire most—Justice Caleb Stegall and Justice Marla Luckert. As a research attorney at the Kansas Supreme Court, I have had the privilege of taking coffee breaks with them for several years. I hope you will grab a cup of coffee, turn away from your screen, and join us for the conversation.
Justice Caleb Stegall
1. What was most challenging for you as a young lawyer? Justice Luckert: I initially struggled to find my voice as a litigator. I observed attorneys whose style in the courtroom was effective and chose some to emulate. But those styles did not seem to fit a young, short, soft-spoken woman. I soon learned a valuable lesson: Just be yourself. Justice Stegall: I think I hit the ground running pretty hard right out of the gate. As a result, getting used to the pace of practice was a challenge. I wasn’t initially very good at the “hurry up and wait” nature of the game, and it took some time to develop the necessary professional patience and intuitive sense of good timing that is crucial for any successful litigator. 2. What advice do you have for a young lawyer who wants to be on the bench someday? Justice Luckert: I suggest everyone remember Socrates’ advice: “Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of—for credit is like fire; when once you have kindled it, you may easily preserve it, but if you once extinguish it, you will find it an arduous task to rekindle it again.” Justice Stegall: Become the best lawyer you can be. Respect everyone. Be kind and professional. Don’t shy away from making your interest known at the right time and in the right www.ksbar.org | October 2019 13