Alum of the Month: Douglass Farnsley ('76)

Douglass Farnsley ('76) is a member at Stites & Harbison PLLC and president of the Kentucky Bar Association.

We asked him to reflect on his experiences as a Brandeis Law student.

Why did you choose Brandeis?
I grew up in Louisville, but I left for eight years for high school and college. By the time I received my undergraduate degree in 1973, I had lived away from Louisville for more than one-third of my life. When the time came to decide upon a law school, I chose Brandeis primarily so that I could return home.

What is your best memory from your time at Brandeis?
I received two honors while I was at Brandeis that meant (and still mean) a great deal to me.

First, the students elected me to the presidency of the Student Bar Association. I learned real lessons about leadership from the things that I did right in that position and probably more so from the mistakes that I made.

Second, I graduated cum laude. I had not been a serious student as an undergraduate, so it was gratifying to do well enough at Brandeis to graduate with honors. Having enjoyed the intellectual challenge at Brandeis, I went on to the University of Wisconsin College of Law where I received an LL.M. in legal history.

How did your experience at Brandeis help you in your career?
My three years at Brandeis introduced me to what was and what would become Louisville’s legal community.

As a student, I clerked in Frank Haddad’s office. Tom Ballantine was my torts professor. When Judge Ballantine went on the federal bench in 1977, he hired me as one of his first two law clerks.

I still marvel at the accomplishments of those who attended Brandeis when I was a student there, including Judge Denise Clayton, Dave Stengel, Justice William McAnulty, David Ratterman, Larry Ethridge, Cile Blau, Doug Morris, Ann Oldfather, Jon Freed, Teddy Flynt and Rep. Greg Stumbo.

As someone who has lived and practiced in Louisville since I returned from my year in Madison, Wisc., I appreciate that I came out of law school knowing people with whom I would be working for years to come.

What advice do you have for law students today?
My advice to law students is to attend every class and to study hard. You are investing three years that will pay dividends for decades to come.

Who was your favorite professor and why?
This is a difficult question. I had superb professors, including David Leibson, Bill Dolson, Marlin Volz, Ralph Petrilli, Norvie Lay, Les Abramson, Bill Read and others.

As Student Bar president, I also look back with appreciation at my relationships with Dean Jim Merritt, Acting Dean Steve Smith and other faculty members who had not been my professors in class (including Larry Knowles, Linda Ewald, Ed Render, Bill Biggs, Al Quick and Bob Stenger).

I am especially grateful to my contracts professor, the late Scott Thompson. About half way through my first semester at Brandeis, Scott devoted an entire class to talking with us about how to prepare for final exams. That same day, I began work on my outlines. Scott’s advice set me on course to succeed in law school and undoubtedly contributed to whatever successes I have enjoyed as a lawyer.