Current association: Kazmarek Mowrey Cloud Laseter LLP
Past associations: K&L Gates, LLP; McGuire Woods LLP
Law School: University of Virginia
Undergraduate: Harvard College, A.B.
Spouse: Carol Kraker Stockman
Children: Two sons: Jake (30) and Alex (27)
Home: Pittsburgh
Favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh: So hard to say… probably Pusadee’s Garden
EMLF Involvement: Trustee; occasional speaker

You have spent most or all of your career as a litigator, handling energy, environmental and insurance cases. How did you get involved in this area of law? Even in law school, I knew that I wanted to try cases and argue appeals, and I knew — even though I was a history major — that I liked to “get my hands dirty” and dive into complex technical issues. (The best thing about being a litigator is that you get to learn everything there is to know about some arcane aspect of human endeavor, over and over, as new cases come in the door….) Like most people starting out in a big firm, I gravitated toward the people I liked to work with, who did environmental and insurance recovery litigation, and I found those subjects to be a good fit for my native enthusiasms. When the energy sector blew up in Western Pennsylvania in the early 2000s, it was a natural practice to transition into.

You have committed time to EMLF and other organizations, even though you had a busy practice. Why? What has EMLF meant to you? Has your involvement had a positive effect on your career? I was first introduced to EMLF at the Annual Institute at the Greenbrier about ten years ago. Once I got past the wallpaper, I was impressed by the quality of the programming and the collegiality of the group. Since then, my initial impressions have only been reinforced: there are few organizations that put on programs of such consistently high quality, and it remains a fun group to be associated with. Also, as the only lawyer in my firm in Pittsburgh (the rest are in Atlanta and Birmingham), I welcome the opportunity to meet and talk with other lawyers who do the same thing I do, to share ideas and (honestly) gossip!

Do you find time to travel for fun? Do you have a favorite place to visit? Carol and I don’t take travel vacations as much as we might like, because of work and family demands (and because we already spend part of our year in Georgia), but we do try to make it to Charleston (S.C.) every year for the Wine & Food Festival, and from time to time will take other food-oriented trips — we’ll get on an airplane for a good meal…

What are some other ways you spend time outside work? I’m an enthusiastic (albeit improvisational) cook, the caretaker of a standard poodle with an outsized personality, and fiercely do the NYT crossword every day against the clock.

You have been practicing law for a while now and have had success. Is there any advice you would give to new lawyers and law students who are about to become lawyers? It’s a cliché, but there’s no substitute for professional excellence.That’s the price of admission. We’ve all seen folks who are great schmoozers, but if they don’t have the intellect and sound judgment, no one will hire them more than once. (Many of you know precisely who I have in mind!)  So… work hard to develop the skill, temperament and judgment. While there may not be the only qualities that will lead to professional success and satisfaction, they’re mandatory prerequisites. Also — and this is probably a “do as I say, not as I do” — keep up your personal and professional connections. You never know where an opportunity will come from.