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THE LEGAL BRIEF
VOLUME 41, ISSUE 5
Young Lawyer Spotlight By Devin Kohr, Young Lawyer Section Chair
Celia L. R. Lesh
WSBA #60083
I grew up in … I was born in Abbotsford, Canada, so clearly my parents did not think that I should be a candidate for US Presidency (I say this in jest). I have always lived in the U.S., and I grew up just north of Bellingham, WA, close to the Canadian border. Before Law School I... Started a subsidiary e - commerce company that sourced and sold coconut oil from Sri Lanka and the Dominican Republic. One main goal of this company was to give back a percentage of the earnings to the coconut farmers in the Dominican Republic. For every X - number of jars sold, a humble house would be built for a family in the Dominican Republic. I left the company after establishing the supply chain because I wanted to re - focus my career on my passion for law. Had a social life (again, I say this in jest). What I find challenging about being a new/young lawyer is … Being exposed to the injustices of our criminal system on a daily basis. For example, the dichotomy between our constitutional right to the presumption of innocence and the fact that individuals are held in - custody, without bail, while their cases are in the pre - trial, predetermination of guilt or innocence, stage. Managing to not blame myself when my clients are penalized for their actions. Some helpful advice received from a more experienced lawyer …. ‘ ALWAYS be kind to the court clerks. It is the judges who get the attention, but it is the clerks who get things done. ’ and “ It is not the ‘ criminal justice system, ’ it is the ‘ criminal system. ’”
If I wasn ’ t an attorney I ’ d be … A psychologist with questionable skill.
The most memorable trip I ever took was … A month - long sailing trip, with my sister, on a 24 foot sailboat that my father built many years ago. My sister and I sailed from Bellingham, WA, up into Canada, and, for over a week and a half, did not step foot on land.
My wellness routine includes... Painting small rocks, with encouraging notes, and leaving them in local parks for anyone who comes across them.
Nobody would ever suspect that I … Ride a motorcycle (2021 Ninja 650)!
If you would like to be featured in the Young Lawyer Spotlight or know someone you would like your fellow lawyers to get to know, email Devin Kohr at dkohr@bgwp.net
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