Advocacy Work Inspires CLC Extern to Consider a Career in Family Law

Nick Varney was thinking of becoming a corporate attorney when he was chosen for an externship at CLC in the spring of 2010. After working for a few months with CLC attorneys Josh Crabtree and Rick Konkoly-Thege on child custody and criminal cases, Varney changed his mind. "I found advocacy work more exciting and fulfilling," he says.

The 27-year-old, who is a second year student at the Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University, decided on a law career after earning dual bachelor's degrees in English and political science at Ohio State University.

"I originally thought I was going to be an English teacher," Varney says. "I like kids so that seemed like an easy decision." After graduation, though, he worked for a legal services company for three years in his hometown of Cincinnati and also Chicago. "I think it was working for lawyers that made me think I could be a lawyer if I really wanted to be," he says.

Varney's experience at CLC has helped him get hands-on experience beyond reading law books and going to class. "I get to shadow Josh when he goes to court and conducts depositions and interviews," he says. "You learn so much functional stuff in law school but until you see it happening in front of you, you don't have a real-world grasp of what it takes."

He especially likes observing Crabtree when he interacts with parents and children who are caught up in custody battles. "I like seeing the sort of interpersonal aspect that Josh gets to have with his clients," Varney says. "He gets to talk to parents about what's going to be best for their kids in the long run. He's also really great with the kids. He has a real ability to connect with them instead of acting like just another appointed court person. "

Varney says he's used to having a hectic schedule, juggling law school and the many hours he puts in at CLC. With all that, he still finds time to play guitar and sing in a rock band, St. Casimir, which will be releasing an album this spring. "Who knows," he says, "it could turn into something really great."

 In the meantime, Varney says he hopes to work in family law after getting his law degree. "It's a decision that I came to after working at CLC," he says. "In family law you can have a positive influence on someone's life when they're going through a tough time. "