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By JENNIFER MOONSONG
Glasgow News 1
Nick Anderson grew up in small-town Kentucky, and living in Tompkinsville and practicing law in Barren County has helped him return to his roots.
Jennifer Moonsong
Growing up in Maysville, Kentucky, Glasgow attorney Nick Anderson enjoyed small-town life as the son of not one, but two pharmacists. As a child, he thought he’d likely follow in their footsteps and be a pharmacist or something similar in the medical field.
“Growing up I definitely saw myself having a career in healthcare of some sort. I, of course, grew up hearing Mom and Dad talking about their days at work, and would even go to work with them some when I was little,” Anderson said.
However, life took a turn when he went to college and explored his interests a bit more.
“Once I got to college I realized the science courses didn’t interest me as much as the political science and philosophy courses. I started thinking about a career in law, but had no family connection to draw on. My parents saw it too, that my interest was not there in healthcare and medicine. They suggested that law might fit my interests better,” he recalled.
To be certain, Anderson got a job at a law firm as a runner to see if he enjoyed the environment.
“I started working at Dinsmore and Shohl LLP in Lexington. My first real experience of a day-to-day legal environment was working there as a runner. It was a great experience. I made good connections and met so many people in the profession I respected,” Anderson reflected.
So, Anderson embarked on the journey of obtaining his law degree from Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University. That is when he met Ann Marie Gordon, now his wife.
Ann Marie hailed from Tompkinsville, Kentucky, and because the two wanted a small-town lifestyle, they married and settled in Monroe County after law school. They continue to reside in Tompkinsville with their six-month old son, Quaid. She went to work in the region as a prosecutor and opened a private practice, while Nick started working as a prosecutor in Glasgow/ Barren County. He knew even then that his eventual goal was to turn his attention to private practice and civil litigation. Two years ago he did just that when he went to work with friend, mentor, and Glasgow attorney, Brian Pack, of Pack Law Firm, P.S.C.
“I’m very fortunate that I have the opportunity to work alongside Brian. His vast knowledge and experience has provided me with a great foundation and resource to draw upon as I have started my career in civil practice,” Anderson expressed.
Anderson sees it as the perfect fit for his interests, temperament, and education. For him, it is all about the human connection that can’t be found in the pages of law books.
“The best thing about being an attorney is establishing the human connections with clients. Every day I have the opportunity to help people solve real life problems, and the law is an avenue where you can help people,” he said.
He is also pleased with the broad scope of life’s milestones he can assist with. His areas of practice include adoptions, wills and estates, personal injury, and corporate law.
“On a daily basis, you can be helping someone with an adoption that is obviously a happy time in someone’s life, and by the afternoon you can be talking to someone who is settling the estate of a spouse they’d been with for 50 years. It is a mix of good and bad, but almost always we are helping at an important juncture in a person’s life,” he stated.
If there was anything unexpected in the profession, Anderson said, he did not expect the extent to which he would be giving clients advice about life in general.
“Often times when I counsel people it is legal advice, but sometimes it is just advice that helps them navigate life. The two overlap a lot,” Anderson said.
The human connection is especially important in a small community such as Glasgow and Barren County, and one of the most appealing aspects of practicing law in a rural area is that he can help the same individuals and families through the years.
“You help people through generations. In the bigger cities, attorneys tend to be much more specialized in terms of the areas in which they practice. In Glasgow and other small towns like it, attorneys have a broader practice than attorneys in big cities. I can help someone with an adoption. A few years later I might help that same couple set up a corporation or draft their wills. If you treat them right, and you develop a relationship with them, you have an opportunity to help them all through life,” said Anderson.
Another pleasing aspect of the job is helping people navigate things they might not fully understand, not being part of the legal community.
Anderson’s advice to people is to not solely rely on the internet for important things.
“There is a lot of information out there. We live in an information ready world, but it is definitely not all accurate. I frequently see problems that arise from people using online kits to make a will, or by them simply going to the Secretary of State’s website to try to set up a business venture on their own,” he said. He added that it is not always clear-cut and often times the results they achieve are less than desired, and they never know until an issue arises.
“My advice is to seek an attorney and don’t just rely on Google,” Anderson recommended.
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