Briefly describe your path after leaving St. Francis.
After high school, I attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and graduated a year early. Once I completed my undergraduate degree, I attended law school at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City, which had an accelerated program that allowed me to complete law school a semester early.
After law school, I moved to Los Angeles, California and worked in a boutique, entertainment law firm for a few years. In 2001, I moved back to Louisville and began to practice law in Kentucky, focusing on complex family law cases. Currently, I am a Partner and the head of the family law department at the law firm of Clay Daniel Walton Adams PLC in Louisville, Kentucky. On occasion, I still litigate a few entertainment law issues as well.
In my free time, I hike, climb mountains, whitewater raft, and kayak (on occasion), and when I am on the coast, I surf.
Looking back at your time at St. Francis, what stands out?
I enjoyed the freedom and independence at St. Francis. St. Francis allowed me the ability to develop as a person. I believe the freedom at St. Francis facilitated an easier transition into college, and then law school.
How was your experience at St. Francis a factor in determining your career path?
The workload at St. Francis made college seem easy. During my college career, I regularly took 20 plus hours a semester and I graduated a year early. I credit this, at least in part, to the coursework at St. Francis.
What are the highlights of your career thus far?
Here are some of the highlights of my legal career thus far: 1) I have been selected as a “Super Lawyer” every year from 2013-2017; 2) I was named one of the top attorneys under 40 as selected by the Judges when I was in my 20s; 3) I was a part of the legal team that legalized gay marriage in the United States; and 4) I have successfully represented hundreds of clients in complex family law cases.
How do you define success?
Success is enjoying what you do most days, and having the freedom to travel on a regular basis and explore the world.
What’s next for you?
I plan to travel to Alaska to hike and see the Northern Lights this winter. I also want to go to New Zealand in the near future.