Page 22 - JanuaryFebruary26 Report

p r ac t i c e & i n t e r e s t g ro u p s
WITH
THE
Grace Royalty and
Laura Welles Wilson
PROFESSIONALISM
COMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRS
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Grace: A doctor-teacher-astronaut. I imagined we would be
living in space by the time I was an adult. I dreamed of traveling
to space to take care of the people living there. Since it would be
a relatively new profession, I would also teach other doctors how
to practice medicine in space.
Laura: When I was in second or third grade I wanted to be Pelé.
My school did not have a girls’ soccer team, so I convinced my dad
to help start one and coach. While I did manage to captain my
high school team, my dreams of international football glory did
not manifest. Then early in my high school career I was selected
to participate in Cincinnati’s Youth in City Government program
(David Mann was Mayor) and for a time I thought I might go into
elected politics. I also made my professional acting debut on Juve-
nile Court, appearing before “Judge Paul Trevor” played by Sam
Wilson (no relation), former Dean of UC Law. Despite this brush
with stardom on a beloved local TV legal drama, one thing I did
not imagine is that I would find a career in the law.
Tell us about your favorite vacation.
Grace: Four years ago I drove down to Florida and back with
my three boys. My husband was in Florida for work so we met him
there. My oldest son had his learner’s permit so he helped me with
the driving. We took our time, staying in a different place each
night while visiting friends and family along the way. Coming
out of COVID, it was wonderful to have the freedom to see people
again and explore new cities.
Laura: In 2016, I traveled with my family and our best friends
to Africa. We spent time in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and
Botswana. In Zimbabwe we took a boat ride on the Zambezi River
and saw elephants crossing the river to an island, trunks linked
around tails. Down river we could see “smoke” from the mist of
Victoria Falls rising in the distance. In Hermanus, South Africa,
we saw a pod of Southern right whales breach the surface and play
along the coastline in front of us. In Botswana, we slept outside
under an inky black sky that glittered with the diamond-like bril-
liance of a million stars. It was a trip I will remember forever
because every day highlighted how truly amazing the diversity
of people, cultures, creatures, and ecosystems is on this planet.
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Tell us about an important lesson you’ve
learned during your law career.
Grace: Sometimes, it is the little cases which make the biggest
impact on people’s lives. We have had cases worth millions of
dollars or with tons of press coverage, but some of the most
important cases were relatively quiet—perhaps the state is ordered
to provide a child with the services he desperately needs, or a
victim and his family confront the man who sexually abused him
as a child, or an employee is able to settle her claims against a
former employer, end the stress of litigation, and move past the
situation.
Laura: Relationships and reputation matter, and fostering
respectful, collaborative, congenial relationships is key. Relation-
ships I developed with law school professors and mentors while I
was a law student helped me get started in my career after gradua-
tion. During my time as a federal law clerk in the Southern District
of Ohio, I observed the fundamental importance of respect and
civility by and among the members of the bench and bar, towards
each other, court staff, clients, and members of the public. The
support of mentors and colleagues in the legal community was
also key when I moved from the Court into private practice.
What are you goals for this year as Chair?
Both: The Professionalism Committee has several cornerstone
programs. Courthouse Connections, a collaboration with the
Ohio Supreme Court’s Commission on Professionalism offers a
behind the scenes look at the Hamilton County Courthouse and
the practitioners who work there every day, with networking and
courtroom tours. The annual Professionalism in the Law seminar
is a free program for all CBA members offered in November. Our
Take Ten program brings dynamic speakers to the CBA for a “Ted
Talk”-styled discussion of issues to help attorneys develop and
manage their careers. We also hope to expand Beyond Civility, a
pilot program launched in 2025 which aims to help practitioners
develop and refine tools and strategies that enhance civility and
professionalism, empowering them to serve as role models in our
community.