Partner of Kentucky firm possesses instincts of an educator
One of attorney Matt Ellison’s elementary school teachers had an especially profound influence on his life – because she was his mom. As a teacher of gifted and talented students in the Mishawaka (Indiana) School District, she set clear expectations for her son to prevent any perception of favoritism. In the classroom, he called her “Mrs. Ellison” just like all the other kids did. She even let him know that she might be a little more demanding on him in order to avoid any suggestion of special treatment.
“It pushed me to make sure I was minding my p’s and q’s,” he says.
He now credits the experience of having a teacher as a mother for informing how he understands one aspect of his role as an attorney.
“As the son of a teacher, I always feel like a part of my job as an advocate is to educate my client, educate the court, and, if it goes to trial, educate the juror,” says Ellison, a partner at Fowler Bell PLLC in Lexington, Ky., and member of the firm’s management team.
Despite having the instincts of an educator, Ellison attended the University of Kentucky with designs on becoming a journalist. He was interested in eventually covering government and politics, but after graduation he took a job at a sports marketing and publishing company in Lexington. After nearly two years, he was ready to consider a different career path.
“I realized it was going to take a long time to get to the point in my career that it would have been worthwhile,” he says. “I saw it taking it a lot longer to get where I wanted than I wanted it to take.”
Law school, he says, was a “shot in the dark” at a new direction. There was no history of law in his family, after all. His father was in commercial real estate. But he knew his mind was of the right sort for law and decided to give the LSAT a go. He did well on the test and enrolled at the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he would graduate magna cum laude in 2005.
“Everything lined up,” he says. “I went in eyes wide open, figuring, okay, this can unlock a lot of potential opportunities.”
During his second and third year of law school, Ellison clerked at Fowler Bell and was ultimately offered a position there after passing the bar. He’s been at the 126-year-old law firm ever since.
He says it is the people and the firm’s philosophy toward the law and life that drew him to the firm and have kept them there his entire career.
“It pushed me to make sure I was minding my p’s and q’s,” he says.
He now credits the experience of having a teacher as a mother for informing how he understands one aspect of his role as an attorney.
“As the son of a teacher, I always feel like a part of my job as an advocate is to educate my client, educate the court, and, if it goes to trial, educate the juror,” says Ellison, a partner at Fowler Bell PLLC in Lexington, Ky., and member of the firm’s management team.
Despite having the instincts of an educator, Ellison attended the University of Kentucky with designs on becoming a journalist. He was interested in eventually covering government and politics, but after graduation he took a job at a sports marketing and publishing company in Lexington. After nearly two years, he was ready to consider a different career path.
“I realized it was going to take a long time to get to the point in my career that it would have been worthwhile,” he says. “I saw it taking it a lot longer to get where I wanted than I wanted it to take.”
Law school, he says, was a “shot in the dark” at a new direction. There was no history of law in his family, after all. His father was in commercial real estate. But he knew his mind was of the right sort for law and decided to give the LSAT a go. He did well on the test and enrolled at the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he would graduate magna cum laude in 2005.
“Everything lined up,” he says. “I went in eyes wide open, figuring, okay, this can unlock a lot of potential opportunities.”
During his second and third year of law school, Ellison clerked at Fowler Bell and was ultimately offered a position there after passing the bar. He’s been at the 126-year-old law firm ever since.
He says it is the people and the firm’s philosophy toward the law and life that drew him to the firm and have kept them there his entire career.
Jim Neeld
Young Wells Williams P.A., Ridgeland, Mississippi
Young Wells Williams P.A., Ridgeland, Mississippi
What is your favorite movie and book?
Movie: I’m a science fiction nerd, so I would have to say the first “Star Wars” movie is an all-time favorite. The first “Blade Runner” movie is a close second.
Book: “North Toward Home,” by Yazoo City, Miss. native son Willie Morris.
Movie: I’m a science fiction nerd, so I would have to say the first “Star Wars” movie is an all-time favorite. The first “Blade Runner” movie is a close second.
Book: “North Toward Home,” by Yazoo City, Miss. native son Willie Morris.
Cocktails & Conversation
February 2nd at 4:00 pm EST
Investing in Your Firm's Young Lawyers
Michael Smith
Cardelli Lanfear Law, Royal Oak, Michigan
February 2nd at 4:00 pm EST
Investing in Your Firm's Young Lawyers
Michael Smith
Cardelli Lanfear Law, Royal Oak, Michigan
Coffee & Conversation
February 6th at 10:00 am EST
The Future of Non-Compete Clauses
Simon de Broise
Marriott Harrison LLP, London, United Kingdom
February 6th at 10:00 am EST
The Future of Non-Compete Clauses
Simon de Broise
Marriott Harrison LLP, London, United Kingdom
If you are interested in being featured in a future edition of the Primerus Weekly, please contact Chris Dawe at cdawe@primerus.com.
Good People who Happen to be Good Lawyers.
Soon after Primerus™ was founded in 1992, the organization adopted the “Six Pillars,” a concept upon which our mission was built.
In effect, the Six Pillars serve as the soul of Primerus™, representing a vow of integrity in all dealings and a commitment to excellence in work product. The concept also embodies a promise of proficiency at a reasonable legal cost, and a belief in the importance of civility and a corresponding desire to perform acts of community service.
In effect, the Six Pillars serve as the soul of Primerus™, representing a vow of integrity in all dealings and a commitment to excellence in work product. The concept also embodies a promise of proficiency at a reasonable legal cost, and a belief in the importance of civility and a corresponding desire to perform acts of community service.
Changing the World in the Nick of Time
What kind of ending will we see to this political movie?
In the wake of the recent release of this year’s Academy Award nominations, let’s step back in time to 2002 when the movie “Catch Me If You Can” garnered more than its share of critical acclaim.
The movie, for those with a memory for Hollywood hits, starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, and told – in somewhat embellished terms – the real-life tale of a New York con artist who masqueraded at various points in his life as an airline pilot, a Secret Service agent, a doctor, and a prosecuting attorney.
In other words, he was George Santos before there was George Santos, the bungling New York Congressman who wiggled his way into the House of Representatives by bamboozling virtually everyone under the Republican sun.
The movie, for those with a memory for Hollywood hits, starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, and told – in somewhat embellished terms – the real-life tale of a New York con artist who masqueraded at various points in his life as an airline pilot, a Secret Service agent, a doctor, and a prosecuting attorney.
In other words, he was George Santos before there was George Santos, the bungling New York Congressman who wiggled his way into the House of Representatives by bamboozling virtually everyone under the Republican sun.
Primerus™ Weekly invites different points of view
The Primerus™ Weekly welcomes letters to the editor and op-ed columns on timely topics or items of general interest.
Submissions should be limited to 800 words and must be timely, well written, and reflect a relevant point of view that will enlighten our readers. All submissions will be edited for clarity, grammar, and style. Anonymous submissions will not be accepted, nor will those that contain falsehoods or potentially libelous information.
For those interested in contributing a letter to the editor or an op-ed column, please include a short bio (20-30 words) along with your contact information. Submissions should be sent to Robin Lewis at rlewis@primerus.com.
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