From the Trench to the Bench
Article by Featured Author
Posted June 2024At its May membership meeting, Jackson Young Lawyers hosted a panel of three appellate judges who had been in solo or small firms before joining the Judiciary. Justice David Ishee of the Mississippi Supreme Court and Judges Deborah McDonald and David McCarty of the Mississippi Court of Appeals discussed the arc of their careers as practicing lawyers “in the trenches” and their subsequent transition to the bench.
Each judge shared their unique journey as a young professional and beyond. When asked about the most meaningful case of his career, Justice Ishee, a native of Gulfport, recalled representing a client pro bono, and how that relationship deepened over time to include working with other members of the client’s family and community.
Judge McDonald, hailing from Fayette, discussed what she learned in her nearly thirty years running her own firm. In her view, time management is an essential skill for lawyers and one she worked hard to master as a solo practitioner. She also recalled seeking balance in her law practice, explaining that she took on some cases to pay the mortgage, but handled civil rights cases to feed her soul. Of the vast array of cases she handled as a practicing lawyer, Judge McDonald said she is perhaps most proud of the impact her work has had on voting rights in Mississippi.
For Judge McCarty, it is critical to ask others for help. He admitted that when he was early in his career, he feared asking other lawyers for help because he thought it might appear that he didn’t understand the complexity of law. But by not asking for help, he said he believes he missed out on crucial opportunities for expanding his knowledge and sense of community. For the longtime Jackson resident, asking for insight and support ultimately grew to become second nature and a key part of his learning process on every case.
According to JYL past-president Brianna Bailey, the meeting was the most well-attended of the year. The private room at Char was filled with attorneys from all over the metro area, including members of CABA. Judge Cory T. Wilson of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and Judge Latrice Westbrooks of the Mississippi Court of Appeals were also in attendance. Judge McCarty later remarked that the meeting “was an incredible time, one of the best JYL meetings I’ve attended in 20 years.”
For my part, I was honored to moderate the panel and help plan it with JYL’s Solo and Small Firm Committee and JYL leadership. As a lawyer at the beginning of my career, it was enlightening to visit with the judges in a more casual setting—to hear from them as people rather than as elected officials, and to learn that the things I face in my career are similar to what the judges encountered when they started out. These judges reminded me why I wanted to become a lawyer in the first place. While it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day work in a law office, the panel discussion was a welcome reminder to not lose sight of the purpose of our profession: to help others.
Madeline Iles is an associate attorney at The Eichelberger Law Firm.