Perspectives from Dynamic Women in the Legal Profession on Working & Living in Greater LEX

Written By: Violet Ferguson, Public Policy Intern 

​As Commerce Lexington’s Public Policy Intern, I embarked on a project to interview and highlight successful women in the legal profession working in Greater LEX, who are also actively engaged with Commerce Lexington and supporting the Lexington business community.  During my internship, I interviewed five attorneys with varying levels of experience and types of practice areas, including Amelia Adams, Cassidy Rosenthal, Anne-Tyler Morgan, Keeana Boarman, Kimberly O’Donnell, and Judge Melissa Murphy.  I asked them questions regarding the nature of their jobs, their education and experience, and what they love most about living and working in Greater LEX. Most importantly, I wanted to get their advice for aspiring attorneys and young women entering the workforce.

As a young woman born and raised in Lexington and a graduate of Lexington Catholic High School, I am very excited to be back here for the summer. I am currently in my second year at American University focusing on legal studies.  My desire to create change in my community has led me to this major with the goal of studying law in the future.
 
One of the benefits of interning at Commerce Lexington has been the connections I’ve been able to make with leaders across different industries such as government, non-profits, business and education. This project specifically allowed me the opportunity to connect to people in the field I intend to pursue to learn first-hand about the lives of women in the legal field who live in and love this region.  My conversations with these women provided great insight into the legal profession and the hard work and dedication it takes to be successful in the field.

​Amelia Adams, Member, Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC
 
Amelia Adams is a Member at Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC. She is a commercial attorney and advises businesses on financial and operational concerns. Adams has 15 years of legal experience and more than four years at her current firm.  Originally from Richmond, she has an extensive history of practicing law in Kentucky, serving on the Board of Governers of the Kentucky Bar Association and dedicating time to the community through nonprofits. Adams received her undergraduate degree from Transylvania University and then received her J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law.  

---

Adams emphasized the importance of compassion and kindness as her philosophy for practicing law.
 
“You never know what someone is going through; make connections and be kind to colleagues and clients  because you also never know when you’re going to be the person who needs a bit of kindness or friendship,” said Adams.   
 
Her strong belief in the American justice system drives her in her work and is inspiring to someone considering the profession.  Adams noted, “Although it is an imperfect system, it is the system that works best for us. I like being part of it, and more importantly, I like helping people.” 
 
Her advice to young women entering the workforce is to “find a mentor; mentors can be older or younger than you. Someone you don’t feel embarrassed to talk to and who you can ask questions you may think are silly.” 
 
Adams described feeling very connected to her Lexington community and said the “open and welcoming community” was attractive to raising a family and working in Greater LEX. ​"By expressing interest in an organization and participating in its mission, you can engage with others and find your place in central Kentucky."

​Cassidy Rosenthal, Lexington Office Executive Member, Stites and Harbison
 
Cassidy Rosenthal is a construction attorney and the Lexington Office Executive Member of Stites & Harbison, PLLC. She has been with the firm for 22 years. Rosenthal works with various stakeholders in construction projects and is an active community leader, currently served as Commerce Lexington’s immediate past board chair. Rosenthal completed her undergraduate degree at DePauw University and received her J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law. She is native to Lexington and values the professional advancement and family-oriented community that the region has to offer. Her advice to aspiring attorneys is to work hard, take advantage of opportunities presented to them, and try to ensure client satisfaction.  She emphasized the importance of treating every person you meet with respect and full attention. 
 
Rosenthal also offered a thoughtful reminder to not shy away opportunities because you don’t think you’re ready or prepared to handle them. 
 
“I remember reading something as a young lawyer, probably after I had had my first child, which is a very, very difficult time to stay engaged in working. It was something along the line of don’t quit before you have to. Meaning when your baby is still a new born, don’t start thinking, I'm not going to take on this new client or I' going to turn doen this promotion because I dont know how I can manage additional work resposibikities knowing that I want to volunteer in my kids kindergarten class and I may have another child in five years. Keep taking opportunities as they come and figure it out how to manage everything when the time comes. Don’t pass up on opportunities because you're preparing for something that hasn’t happened yet,” said Rosenthal.  

---

​Anne-Tyler Morgan, Member, McBrayer PLLC
 
Anne-Tyler Morgan is a Member and regulatory attorney at McBrayer PLLC. She chairs the Economic Development Practice Group and specializes in economic development, and healthcare.  She also contributes significantly to the Lexington community through leadership roles with the Kentucky Chamber on the Foundational Board of Directors as well as with Commerce Lexington, serving on the Regional Leadership Council and the organization’s Foundation Board of Directors. Morgan is originally from Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.  She received her undergraduate degree from Transylvania University and her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law and then returned for a professional career in Lexington.
 
What Morgan appreciates most about the Greater Lexington area is its close-knit community and its extensive opportunities for growth.
 
“Upon moving back to Lexington after law school in Chicago, I quickly realized that the quality of life here is very special,” said Morgan. “In Lexington, it’s a bit of the American dream. You can make a name for yourself, form close relationships, and really make your way both in the organizations that are based here and in the community itself.”
 
Morgan’s advice to young women is to stay confident in your skills and cultivate mentors. 

“The lesson for women, I think, is to remain confident. It may be inevitable that there is self-doubt. However keeping a support network of other female professionals and supportive male professionals is important. Take care to recognize your own calues and skills that are inherently feminine, such as intuition and empathy; there is no workplace where those traits are not imperative in being able to read and relate to people,” added Morgan. 

---

Keeana Boarman, Member, McBrayer PLLC

Keeana Boarman is a Member at McBrayer PLLC and chair of the Corporate and Business Practice Group. She serves as General Council for Commerce Lexington and on McBrayer's Executive Committee.Boarman attended Duke University for her undergraduate degree and received her J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law. She has practiced law for 16 years and has been in her current position for four years. As a Lexington native, Boarman appreciates the city’s combination of small-town connections while having big-city amenities. Her advice to aspiring attorneys is to seize opportunities and to remember it is okay to make mistakes.
 
Boarman also addressed work-life balance for women entering the legal profession.  “I think you can do it all if you want to. You can have hobbies and family and friends that you spend time with, and if you want to work hard and be an equity partner at a law firm, you can do all of that. It is hard in different ways at different times, but it is doable.”
 
According to Boarman, it’s the continued challenge of her work that drives her the most.  “I like challenges. I don’t know what the day is going to bring. I really enjoy the mental challenges, and I love working with business owners and entrepreneurs, learning about their goals and their thought processes, and helping them achieve those goals.”

---

​Kimberly O’Donnell, Office Managing Partner, Dentons
 
Kimberly O’Donnell is a Managing Partner at Dentons’ Lexington Office and a member of the firm's employment and Labor Practice group. She focuses on employment litigation. O’Donnell is originally from Louisville. She stayed in Lexington after her education at the University of Kentucky, where she received both her undergraduate degree and J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law. O’Donnell gave some insight as to what attracted her to Greater LEX both in her personal and professional life.

​“I really like that Lexington has a lot of big city amenities, good restaurants, really good schools, really good places to work, and the university, which is a huge employer and a great asset to the community. I like that it has big city amenities, but it still feels small,” she said. O’Donnell added, “I just really love the community. After law school, I tried hard to get a job in Lexington, so that I could hopefully stay here, and it worked out.”
 
O’Donnell also advised young women entering the workforce to have confidence and find mentors.  “Work hard and have confidence in yourself. It took me a long time to have confidence in myself. Try if you can find a female mentor. I think it’s helpful to see how women in your role have already been successful.”

---

​Judge Melissa Murphy, Kentucky 22nd District Court Fourth Division
 
Judge Melissa Murphy currently serves the Kentucky 22nd District Court Fourth Division. She was appointed to this position in 2020 by Governor Andy Beshear. Murphy has both a civil and criminal docket; her civil docket entails any civil dispute under $5,000, small claims actions, forcible detainer actions, and probate matters, such as wills, trusts, and name changes. Her criminal docket includes misdemeanors as well as felony and criminal arraignments. She is also chairperson of the Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel. Murphy relocated from Baltimore, Maryland, to Lexington to complete her undergraduate degree at the University of Kentucky. Judge Murphy then went on to law school at the University of Kentucky College of Law.  
 
Judge Murphy values her ability to engage in the community, support local schools, and provide mentorship to the next generation.  “I enjoy having the ability to be in a profession or in a role where I am in the community, where I can work in schools, where I can encourage the next generation, especially of young black women,” said Murphy.  “It is great to be in a work environment where I can also touch the community.”
 
Judge Murphy also addressed work-life balance for young women entering the workforce. “It could be because I had my son while I was in school, but there is no such thing as balance,” said Murphy.  “It is all about priorities, and there are times in your life that you have to understand what the priorities are. Often, we want to have it all, but there are times where all you can do right now is school.  Find out the priority and being okay with the fact that that it is your priority and understanding when you need help and support.”

---

 Interviewing each of these accomplished professionals allowed me to learn about my career field of interest and build my professional network. Each leader had different advice and life experiences that I found greatly insightful. My key takeaways are the legal profession requires hard work, but if you are passionate about the work you do, you can be successful and find enjoyment in helping people.  Some advice that stood out to me is the value of having confidence in yourself, being kind and compassionate, taking advantage of opportunities and learning from mistakes.  Most importantly, I’ve learned how important it is to seek out successful female professionals as mentors as you build your career. 
 
Commerce Lexington is focused on attracting young professionals to Greater LEX, specifically retaining more of the students graduating from the region’s colleges and universities.  I found it interesting that these legal professionals were attracted to Lexington and decided to stay or come back home to the region. These women all touched on, the unique attributes that Greater Lex offers not only to young professionals but also to families and personal quality-of-life.

Violet Ferguson, Public Policy Intern 

Through my internship, Commerce Lexington provided me with connections to female leaders in the community, and I am very grateful for this opportunity. I want to thank all these women for taking the time out of their days to meet with me and for their meaningful conversations full of advice for the future, as well as the work that each of them do within the Greater LEX community. It is incredibly valuable for young women aspiring to have successful professional careers to have female role models and mentors in their community.   ​