My daughter Chloe will be an excellent attorney because she is smart, sensible, trustworthy and committed to helping people through some of the most difficult times in their lives.
Plus she has some really thick skin; after all, she's already heard all the lawyer jokes.
The Covid pandemic took away her law school graduation in 2020, then relegated her formal Supreme Court swearing in ceremony Monday morning to a Zoom conference. So we made up for all of that with an event of our own Monday night in front of a courtroom full of family, friends and well-wishers.
I got to do the honors of swearing her in again, and I can't tell you much I enjoyed it.
"I regard this as an honor, and I feel this is a privilege," she repeated. "I hereby swear to be the best attorney I can be."
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CHLOE HAS BEEN in a law office and around attorneys since she was a baby. She knows about the pressure, the heavy workload, and the enormous responsibility the job entails -- all the stuff you don't see in the movies.
She's heard me say, countless times, an effective attorney does more than just be mouthy with people, because anyone can do that. Instead, an effective attorney is trained to be persuasive, which involves much more than just calling people names.
An effective attorney is part of the solution, not just part of the problem.
To undertake such difficult tasks, an effective attorney must time to take care of herself, physically, mentally, and spiritually. You cannot give the best of yourself to others if your tank is running on empty.
In addition to recognizing Chloe for her achievement, we also went around the room and recognized the many people who have helped her along the way:
1) my dad, my brother Joe, and everyone else at the old Kirby & Kirby law firm, 2) Sharon Rottert and everyone at Springboro Court, where I worked (and Chloe followed) for 22 years, 3) the Rittgers and the Ruppert law offices, where Chloe job-shadowed with some of the attorneys.
Also, 4) with Judges Tim Tepe, Don Oda, and Robert Peeler and their staffs in the Warren County Common Pleas Court General Division, where Chloe (and her cousin Chase) were interns in the fall of 2019.
Plus, 5) her law school friends (Madison, McKenzie, Jesse, and Emma), 6) her Kirby/Stewart family, 7) her Terrill family, 
her high school friends such as Rebecca, Cassidy, and Brooke, 9) and her gang of Ohio River/Norris Lake friends who love her like family.
her high school friends such as Rebecca, Cassidy, and Brooke, 9) and her gang of Ohio River/Norris Lake friends who love her like family.Last, but not least, Chloe has been helped enormously by 10) everyone at her current employer, the law firm of Gump, Deal & Hirth, which is located in Centerville (Nicole, Chris, Hilary, Terry, and Dottie), 11) her boyfriend Cole, shown above holding the Bible while Chloe took her oath, who has been beside her the whole way, and 12) her mom, who is an incredible person all the way around.
Look at Kim in the photo at bottom right. Is that a proud mom or what?
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I LOOK FORWARD to seeing all Chloe will do in the journey that lies ahead of her. Through her efforts, worries will be reduced, tensions will be lessened, and conflicts will be resolved. It will be rewarding, even it will be brutally difficult at times.
Especially all the lawyer jokes.
"Do you know the difference between a dead skunk and a dead lawyer in the middle of the road? There are skid marks in front of the skunk."
Away we go. Congratulations, Chloe!
(Photos by Alexandra Kelly Poffenberger)
