WIP

Ten Questions with Kathy Knight

by: Emma Cassidy

1) What were you doing when you were my age?

  I was in college, majoring in Finance and Economics, with a
minor in history (go figure!)

(2) How did you get to where you are today?

  I always loved police/lawyer shows and found the law
interesting, so I eventually decided to go to law school. While I was
in law school, I interned in this Office to see if I liked it. I love
it and the rest his history.

(3) Who was the most influential person in your life and why?

  Probably my father, as he was just the kindest, most generous
and most patient person I know. He treated everyone the same whether
you were the trash man or the president of United States. While he was
not a fan of lawyers, he was always my biggest fan.

(4) What do you value most in life?

  My family, nothing is more important than family. They are
always there for you no matter what. They hurt when you hurt, they are
elated when you are elated and they strive to make your live easier
(with the exception of my boys some days!).

(5) What advice would you give to a young college graduate from Ireland?

  Work hard and don't give up. Follow your dreams. Life is too
short and you have to work so hard that you should be doing something
that you truly love and find rewarding.

(6) What has been your proudest moment in your law career to date?

  Gee, that is hard to say. I've had a number of nice victories
in a lot of very serious cases. Many of them child abuse cases,
involving very young and vulnerable children. Getting convictions in
those are always rewarding. Frequently there is no one to stand up for
the little people and they are seen, but not heard, so its nice to be an
advocate for them.

(7) Obviously, you can’t get a favourable outcome in 100% of your cases,
how
do you deal with criticism or 'victims' complaints?

  Take it in stride. You can't please everyone all of the time.
I try to give them an ear, so that at least they felt that they were
listened too, even if the end result is not what they wanted. Usually
as long as you do that, they don't complain, so it's worth the extra
time and effort to listen.

(8)It's sometimes hard to achieve a work/life balance, what do you do to
relax?

  Play golf, go to the gym, chill with Dave (Kathy’s fiancée) or friends. Probably
eat and drink too much!

(9)What are your opinions on President Obama's choice of Supreme Court
nominee,
Sonia Sotomayor?

  Don't know that much about her, but by all accounts, she is a
very accomplished woman and I think a nice addition to the bench.
Diversity is good and needed on that bench.

(10)Finally, WIP is a program for service and leadership. What qualities
do you think make a great leader?

  Patience, a good heart, respect for others, and more patience.