Bench & Bar

JUL 2015

The Bench & Bar magazine is published to provide members of the KBA with information that will increase their knowledge of the law, improve the practice of law, and assist in improving the quality of legal services for the citizenry.

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Shortly after I graduated from law school and two years before I started with my current firm, I had an interesting talk with a Louisville businessman. I expressed to him my concern that there might be too many lawyers and that maybe I was entering the wrong field. The businessman responded by saying, "There will always be room for a good lawyer, just as there will always be room for a good teacher and for good candidates in any other field." That may be little comfort to those who are currently struggling, but I believe the point is well taken. Keep in mind that lawyers work in fields other than the practice of law. I know two lawyers who are accomplished journalists, and I can think of four other lawyer friends who have owned businesses. I do not com- pletely understand how our legal education and experience teach us to think analytically, but I believe it is fair to say that that is how we think. That approach to problems and to people may give us an edge, regardless of whether we ever practice law. The burden of student debt is a real concern for those who owe the money and for our economy as a whole. In my era, the state provided more funding for its universi- ties. I and many others of my generation benefitted as a result. The good news is that those who enter certain public service legal positions may secure loan forgiveness. Unfortunately, this also ties back to my earlier comments about underfunding for public defenders and legal aid and the fact that there may not be as many jobs in those public service positions as there should be. Judicial salaries in Kentucky have been stag- nant for years, despite the best efforts of the organized bar to persuade the General Assembly to address the situation. Are we getting best judges possible in Kentucky? Underfunding of our courts is a significant problem. Our state court judges and the staff of the Administrative Office of the Courts have not received a significant increase in pay since before 2007. Although inflation has been relatively mod- est in the intervening years, the fact is that our judges have effectively taken a pay cut. I also have a concern that the 2014 changes in the judicial retirement plan will negatively impact overall judicial compen- sation. The real possibility exists that the changes will significantly diminish judicial retirement, thus creating an additional cut in compensation. Section 120 of Kentucky's Constitution provides, "The compensation of a justice or judge shall not be reduced during his term." There is a case to be made that the failure for judicial salaries to at least keep up with inflation and the pension changes run afoul of the Constitution. We have a superb judiciary in Kentucky. We owe it to our judges and their staffs to raise the revenue to compensate them fairly. You are involved with two historic sites in the Louisville area. Could you tell our readers about them, and what you for them? There are two historic houses in Louisville with ties to my great, great, great uncles – David and his younger brother Gabriel Farnsley. David and Gabriel were second generation Louisvillians. In 1812, David built a log cabin at what is now Cane Run Road and Lees Lane. He soon married Sarah Meriwether (a cousin of Meriwether Lewis), and the two of them raised seven children in the cabin. By 1832, David and Sarah had developed some income and modest wealth. At that time, they built a substantial brick addition to the house. After the deaths of David and Sarah, the house passed into the Kaufman family. The house now sits on the campus of the Farnsley Middle School. In the mid 1990's, when the school system acquired the house, we formed our group to help take care of it and to work with the school and its students to use the house as a teaching tool. We have held archaeological digs at the house, the students wrote and produced a play about the house, and there have been photography and essay contests. The activities generate a good bit of excitement and enthusiasm. I am a founder of the Friends of the Farnsley-Kaufman House, and I was until recently the president of its Board. I remain active on the Board, and I am excited that my son and daughter and their spouses are now interested and are supportive of our efforts. Gabriel Farnsley's house is more grand than David's. It is an 1837 two-story brick house that faces the Ohio River and is located in southwest Louisville. The City of Louisville owns the house and Louisville Metro Parks operates it as a house museum. There is also an event facility, a pavilion overlooking the river, and a nearby historic wedding chapel. The house and site are known as Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing. I served for years on the Riverside Board and am now an honorary board member. 7 B&B; • 7.15 FA R N S L E Y Q & A Over 18,000 attorneys are licensed to practice in the state of Kentucky. It is vitally important that you keep the Kentucky Bar Association (KBA) informed of your correct mailing address. Pursuant to rule SCR 3.175, all KBA members must maintain a current address at which he or she may be communicated, as well as a physical address if your mailing address is a Post Office address. If you move, you must notify the Executive Director of the KBA within 30 days. All roster changes must be in writing and must include your 5-digit KBA member identification number. There are several ways to do this for your convenience. VISIT our website at www.kybar.org to make ONLINE changes or to print an Address Change/Update Form –OR– EMAIL the Executive Director via the Membership Department at kcobb@kybar.org –OR– FAX the Address Change/Update Form obtained from our website or other written notification to: Executive Director/Membership Department (502) 564-3225 –OR– MAIL the Address Change/Update Form obtained from our website or other written notification to: Kentucky Bar Association, Executive Director 514 W. Main St., Frankfort, KY 40601- 1812 * Announcements sent to the Bench & Bar's Who, What, When & Where column or communication with other depart- ments other than the Executive Director do not comply with the rule and do not constitute a formal roster change with the KBA. BEFORE YOU MOVE...

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