Firm’s managing partner sees joy in lifelong learning process
Attorney Christian Stegmaier is an Eagle Scout. And a major in the South Carolina State Guard where he is the staff judge advocate in command of its JAG detachment.
It should come as little surprise then that Stegmaier holds the principle of fairness in the highest regard and that a sense of fairness is foundational to his practice of law.
“I still believe in the notion of fairness,” says Stegmaier, who is the managing partner at Collins & Lacy, P.C. in Columbia.
He has been with the defense litigation firm for 23 years. It is the first and only firm he has worked for over the course of his career.
“I try very hard to be fair with everybody I deal with, whether they’re co-defendants or plaintiffs,” Stegmaier says.
“We treat people appropriately and with respect,” he adds. “We’re intellectually and academically honest in the positions we take in our litigation. Cases can be very adversarial, but I never want anyone to think we did anything untoward in discovery or held something back or sandbagged them. We try very hard to be straight up from beginning to end.”
Reared and educated in South Carolina’s capital city, Stegmaier is a son of Columbia. He touts the city as a “great place to live and a great place to raise a family.” Growing up, he was active in Boy Scouts and developed an early interest in politics by taking part in various campaigns for governor and the state General Assembly.
At the University of South Carolina, he studied political science and then earned a master’s degree in Public Health Administration with the aim of managing hospitals. It was a short-lived ambition, however. It was only two years into the work that he realized he was spending the majority of his time reviewing contracts and that he may as well go to law school.
After graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Law, Stegmaier accepted a clerkship with Judge Ralph King Anderson Jr. on the state’s Court of Appeals. Before his election to the appellate court, Anderson had served a term in the state House of Representatives and sat as a circuit court judge for 17 years. The judge’s influence on Stegmaier is nearly incalculable and he says the experience “informs every day of my life.” The judge modeled for Stegmaier the importance of a committed work ethic, tenacity, thoroughness, an academic approach to the job, and a love of the law.
It should come as little surprise then that Stegmaier holds the principle of fairness in the highest regard and that a sense of fairness is foundational to his practice of law.
“I still believe in the notion of fairness,” says Stegmaier, who is the managing partner at Collins & Lacy, P.C. in Columbia.
He has been with the defense litigation firm for 23 years. It is the first and only firm he has worked for over the course of his career.
“I try very hard to be fair with everybody I deal with, whether they’re co-defendants or plaintiffs,” Stegmaier says.
“We treat people appropriately and with respect,” he adds. “We’re intellectually and academically honest in the positions we take in our litigation. Cases can be very adversarial, but I never want anyone to think we did anything untoward in discovery or held something back or sandbagged them. We try very hard to be straight up from beginning to end.”
Reared and educated in South Carolina’s capital city, Stegmaier is a son of Columbia. He touts the city as a “great place to live and a great place to raise a family.” Growing up, he was active in Boy Scouts and developed an early interest in politics by taking part in various campaigns for governor and the state General Assembly.
At the University of South Carolina, he studied political science and then earned a master’s degree in Public Health Administration with the aim of managing hospitals. It was a short-lived ambition, however. It was only two years into the work that he realized he was spending the majority of his time reviewing contracts and that he may as well go to law school.
After graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Law, Stegmaier accepted a clerkship with Judge Ralph King Anderson Jr. on the state’s Court of Appeals. Before his election to the appellate court, Anderson had served a term in the state House of Representatives and sat as a circuit court judge for 17 years. The judge’s influence on Stegmaier is nearly incalculable and he says the experience “informs every day of my life.” The judge modeled for Stegmaier the importance of a committed work ethic, tenacity, thoroughness, an academic approach to the job, and a love of the law.
Justin Heller
Nolan Heller Kauffman LLP, Albany, New York
Nolan Heller Kauffman LLP, Albany, New York
What motivated you to pursue a legal career?
"My dad was an attorney, but a legal career was never on my radar. It took some time in the real world – specifically my time in banking – to understand the roles people play in the business world, and as I started interacting with attorneys, I became interested in a legal career."
"My dad was an attorney, but a legal career was never on my radar. It took some time in the real world – specifically my time in banking – to understand the roles people play in the business world, and as I started interacting with attorneys, I became interested in a legal career."
Coffee & Conversation
February 27th at 10:00 am EST
Vexatious Litigation and Litigants
Sarah Antonious and Alexander Bissonnette
Mann Lawyers, LLP, Ottawa, Ontario
February 27th at 10:00 am EST
Vexatious Litigation and Litigants
Sarah Antonious and Alexander Bissonnette
Mann Lawyers, LLP, Ottawa, Ontario
Cocktails & Conversation
March 2nd at 4:00 pm EST
Remote Appearances and Civility in the Era of Covid
Robert Ashley
Coleman & Horowitt, LLP, Fresno, California
March 2nd at 4:00 pm EST
Remote Appearances and Civility in the Era of Covid
Robert Ashley
Coleman & Horowitt, LLP, Fresno, California
If you are interested in being featured in a future edition of the Primerus™ Weekly, please contact Katie Bundyra at kbundyra@primerus.com.
Good People who Happen to be Good Lawyers.
Changing the World in the Nick of Time
Foundation offers hope for new approach to sound government
Governmental shortcomings can be a murky matter, offering a perfect case study for the sometimes-complicated ramifications of attempting to do a measure of good in a decidedly imperfect way.
Take, for example, the continuing fallout from the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked parts of southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, a seismic event that has caused a combined death toll of more than 40,000 in the neighboring countries and left hundreds of thousands homeless in a humanitarian tragedy that grows grimmer by the day.
Take, for example, the continuing fallout from the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked parts of southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, a seismic event that has caused a combined death toll of more than 40,000 in the neighboring countries and left hundreds of thousands homeless in a humanitarian tragedy that grows grimmer by the day.
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.
October 26-29, 2023
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