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Taft Stettinius & Hollister
Indiana University Maurer School of Law
Why did you decide to enter the legal profession?
My sister, who is seven years older than me, was always the perfect student and I felt like I could never live up to her achievements. She attended law school for one year, decided she hated it, and changed paths. That provided the perfect opportunity for me to do something academically she didn’t.
What does “diversity, equity and inclusion” mean to you?
It is not a system that is based off of your skin color or religion or sexual orientation as justification for advancement. Rather, it is a system that ensures individuals of different skin colors, religions, and sexual orientations have the same opportunity to succeed and advance based off their merit.
Why is DEI important to the legal profession?
To serve your clientele, you need to truly understand what drives their worldview and is most important to them. America prides itself on being the melting pot where we have so many different cultures and religions making up our DNA. DEI allows us to have members of our teams who have grown up in and experienced those different environments so that we can find solutions that uniquely fit our clients.
What advice would you give to young attorneys?
No one should be more invested in your success and career than you are. If they are, then you may not be in the right career.
How do you spend your free time?
Just spending time with my wife, Jill, and kids when they are home from college. And getting my heart ripped out by Cleveland professional sports teams.
What is the most significant change you’ve seen in the legal profession since you began your career?
I know that I sound like the old man, but it is really the motivation of the younger generation of attorneys. I came up in a time when the goal, for everyone, was to make partner. That is not the case today. More and more studies are showing that “quality of life” and “work-life balance” are the most important things for younger attorneys and law students.
What was your favorite – and least favorite – class in law school?
Federal Indian Law and Federal Indian Law. It was taught by my favorite professor and the topic was fascinating. But it was also gut-wrenching to dig deeper into the travesties that occurred to the American Indian tribes.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
A very smart man once said nothing at all.
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