*In a new feature, Kightlinger & Gray will be highlighting attorneys to help you get to know your team at K&G in short 5 minute interviews.
5 Minute Focus- Partner Casey Stafford
- What was a deciding factor in going to law school, and becoming an attorney?
- Coming out of my undergrad, I wasn’t sure which path I wanted to take, but I decided to look at grad school options. After looking at law school, I determined that law school would provide a plethora of options.
- Did you have any moments in law school that made you second guess your career path?
- None that are coming to mind, I had decided this was the path for me, and I enjoyed the experience.
- What would you tell someone on the fence about becoming a lawyer, or trying to decide about this career path?
- Make sure you are confident in your decision before committing. Law school is a serious commitment as are all graduate schools, and being a lawyer can be a demanding job which requires attention to detail, and being confident in your abilities and your work ethic.
- What has been a defining moment in your legal career?
- For me, there has not been a single defining moment, however trial wins definitely stick with you because of the work and effort that goes into a preparing and going to trial, and these experiences are very rewarding. These are important, and seeing your work rewarded through that.
- What would you want someone outside the legal field to know about your job?
- I think that sometimes lawyers aren’t viewed as ‘great’ people, however, as a whole, we are nice people, even when we are paid to represent people in sometimes not great situations. T.V. has perhaps given lawyers a bad name, which is not the situation. That said, in the courtroom and the legal world, everyone deserves to have a legal advocate.
- What is an interesting fact about you?
- Both of my parents taught at the high school I attended, and made for not a great high school experience. Also, I was a 500 festival princess.
Casey Stafford is a Partner in the Indianapolis office, and focuses her practice on insurance defense matters, including Professional Liability mainly of insurance agents and attorneys, Bad Faith insurance issues and Environmental coverage. She also handles Consumer Litigation, representing collection agencies and attorneys who are subject to litigation. Casey was a journalism major at Butler University who went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis.