WeigandWIRE - Let's be partners!

Jennifer Salva, Editor

In this issue of the WeigandWire...

It seems that the goal of most lawyers working in a law firm is to become partner. But what does that mean? What does it look like? In this edition, our 3Ls Alisha Peters (KU) and Kate Davis (Washburn) visit with our most senior and newest partner, and share their insights.

Contributing to this article: Alisha Peters, KU '20

ROARKE GORDON

Roarke and Molly with Ignatius, 6, Roosevelt, 4 months, Graham, 4.

Entering his ninth year as partner at Fleeson, Gooing, Coulson, & Kitch, L.L.C., in Wichita, Roarke Gordon, Washburn ’06 , has been partner longer than any other Weigand Scholar. His experience as partner gives him insight into what makes a successful attorney—in terms of legal practice and personal contentment. “There is a fit for every personality within the legal field,” Roarke said. “If you really want to be successful in what you’re doing, you need to first and foremost like what you’re doing.”

Roarke’s path to partnership started when he became an associate at his firm in 2006. Working at a smaller firm gave him the opportunity to try out different practice areas, including insurance defense and estate planning. Eventually, he moved into transactional practice and now focuses primarily on real estate. "I can say that after nine or t en years of being a partner, you become more selective in what you want to work on or decide to work on," Roarke said.

Roarke said that's a much different feeling than starting out as a new partner. "When you're first a partner you're worried about billable hours and receivables, and getting enough money and clients through the door. After a while, you still recognize the importance of those things, and start narrowing in on working efficiently," he said. "You kind of shape your practice and get better at it as you go."

Roarke said he remembers getting feedback from partners when he was an associate himself. "For lack of a better term, they redlined the hell out of what I did," he said. "That's far and away the best experience you can have.”

He tries to pass on that same feedback to associates now. And it’s worth it to mentor an associate properly, even though it takes a significant amount of time that's not billable. He encourages associates to ask for that kind of feedback. "I think a lot of associates are scared because they know everybody's time is valuable, so they don't ask for it," he said. "If they knock on the door and take a few extra minutes, they find the partner is more than willing to give the feedback," he said.

Roarke’s experience mentoring associates at his firm is also an asset to the Weigand Trust in terms of selecting the next class of Weigand scholars, as he tries to participate in the interview process each year. However, Roarke said, the Weigand interview process is also important for applicants who are not ultimately chosen. "I've met a lot of people that didn't end up getting the scholarship for one reason or another, and I see them and know them and know something about them."

To those who are chosen as Weigand scholars, Roarke finds that automatically signifies something special. “If I see a Weigand scholarship recipient I see a few things," Roarke said. "One, they are likely exceptional at what they do and will be very successful. Two, I automatically assume they are a friend, even if I've not met them or had any social dealings with them," he said. "There's a connection there. It builds some sort of likeness to them, automatically. No matter what."

Roarke said being a Weigand is not just about having a base of people that you know in the community when you're going to social events or to Court, but also for referring work. "I kind of have a sense of watching people go through the [Weigand interview] process, and I routinely call them," he said. "And I hire 'em too."

Roarke says having the type of community the Weigand trust helps create is integral to building a legal career. Currently, Roarke stays involved in the Wichita community by serving on several boards, and giving annual presentations for medical students, focusing primarily on physician employment contracts. But he notes it is difficult and time-consuming to form skills as a new lawyer while also developing clients and getting involved in the community. Starting his career in his hometown of Wichita made it much easier to build his practice because he already knew people in the area.

“Kansas is such a great place to practice. We’ve got a level of collegiality and enjoyment of work and home life that exists here that makes for a more enjoyable practice than probably anywhere else in the country,” he said.

Roarke also thinks it is a great place for he and his wife, Molly Gordon, to raise their two sons, Ignatius (6) and Roosevelt (4 mo.), and daughter, Graham (4). Molly understands the unique challenges of practice and partnership because she is an attorney, herself. In fact, the couple met at Washburn Law.

Molly grew up in Missouri, so she was not eligible to apply to be a Weigand scholar herself, but is nonetheless a huge supporter of the Weigand Trust. “I've loved getting involved with Roarke and getting to know so many wonderful scholars”, Molly said. “We've hosted scholars in our home, and are always happy to provide advice or guidance in any way we can.”

Being lawyers gives Roarke and Molly similar parenting styles, Molly said. And this means no whining! “If they start, we tell them to stand up straight, use a strong voice and present their case”, Molly said. “At this age, they are presenting an argument about why they should get a frozen yogurt,” she said. “But we are trying to instill the concepts of logical thinking, being persuasive, and presenting a reasoned argument into them at a young age.”

Molly feels lucky that her family gets to be a part of the Weigand family. “And,” Molly said, “we feel lucky to have found each other in law school.”

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Contributing to this article: Kate Davis, Washburn '20

JOEL GRIFFITHS

Joel, Hillary, and their dog, Ely

Joel Griffiths, University of Kansas ’12, is the newest Weigand to make partner. But when Claudette called to invite him to the Weigand Trust in 2009, he was just a college student on his way to tour the University of Colorado Boulder Law School. He quickly accepted Claudette’s invitation and the decision was made to attend KU law. “She called, I accepted it after about a half a second, so I cancelled my visit to Boulder and just went skiing instead with my friends,” Joel said.

Joel became partner at Leverage Law Group, LLC in Leawood, Kansas. While it feels great to be named partner, Joel says it feels more like a gradual progression, rather than a huge change. His normal workday is still much the same as when he was a senior associate, but as a partner, he has more responsibility and sees the inner-workings of the firm. For example, he said, “Getting to see the background of how they set the billing rates and other business practices of the firm was very cool.”

Leverage Law solely focuses on tax credit finance, specifically for new markets and renewable energy tax credits. Practicing in a niche area is neat, Joel said, because everyone in the industry knows everyone else. And, because Joel's firm is so specialized, he said everyone is working toward the same goal and makes his practice more streamlined and efficient. "I sit behind a desk and help people build renewable energy facilities and make low-income community investments all over the country," Joel said. A benefit of working from his desk, Joel said, is getting to wear whatever he wants everyday (which currently is a whole lot of Chiefs attire).

As a tax and business attorney, Joel sees a gap in his field in the amount of women in business law, especially those who make partner. His firm is engaging with the University of Kansas and participating in round-table discussions on this topic in Kansas City. “Our firm has taken a stance with trying to increase diversity at KU and in the legal community with ethnic diversity. We’ve also been aware that there’s now more women than men in law school, or at least there were when I was in school, but not in business law or the partnership track,” Joel said.

Joel's upbringing in Western Kansas instructs his practice today, even though he swore as a child he wouldn't become an attorney. "I thought my mom was on the phone too much," Joel said of his mother, Karen Griffiths, who is a partner at Sebelius & Griffiths, LLP, in Norton, Kansas. Despite his early apprehensions about the law, Joel’s work as an intern at Sebelius & Griffiths prior to law school showed him there was much more to being an attorney than just being on the phone.

His experience growing up and working in western Kansas helps when he works with others from a similar background. At his last job, he said that “the more rural clients appreciated having someone to talk to that actually had that rural background, and didn’t come across as just a big city lawyer.”

Playing football at Emporia State University also taught Joel lessons that he carried with him into law school and his practice. Specifically, how to accept constructive criticism, whether it be from a coach on the field or a partner at the firm. “I think that’s helped me take what they’ve said with a grain of salt and learn from it, because they’re trying to help you,” he said. “You can’t take everything to heart all the time. Sometimes you have to let some things brush off and not bother you.”

Joel knew that he wanted to become a partner, himself, as a law student and new attorney. “The first one and a half years [as an associate] are very stressful, so it’s good to have a goal to work towards over those first few years.” Now that he’s become a partner, his new goal is to become an expert in his field to replace the older attorneys who are getting close to retirement.

His advice for new attorneys who aspire to become partners: “work hard, do good work, look for feedback.” He noted that, to be prepared for partnership, “you need to be cognizant of what you need to work on along the way.” He also recommended talking to others who have been through the process. For example, Joel sought advice from a coworker who was a year ahead of him on the partnership track to get his advice. “Those people who you started with as an associate who made partner before you who remember the dark side of being an associate who can talk to you a little bit about the process,” he said.

And, speaking of partnerships, Joel is newly engaged to Hillary Rains. Between wedding planning and partnership, 2020 is shaping up to be a busy but exciting year.

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