Interview with Steven S. Reed, December 14, 2018

Partial Transcript: This is an oral history interview with Steven S. Reed...

Segment Synopsis: Anu Kasarabada introduces Steven S. Reed, who gives a brief personal history.

Partial Transcript: Okay, so let's just start at the beginning, tell me about yourself.

Segment Synopsis: Reed talks about growing up in Munfordville, Kentucky in the 1960s and the people who influenced his childhood.

Keywords: Churches; Hart County (Ky.); Ms. Edwards; Teachers

Subjects: Louisville (Ky.); Munfordville (Ky.); Race relations; Race relations--Kentucky; School integration; Vietnam War, 1961-1975

Partial Transcript: Um, when I got the letter, I didn't know what to do, but I had to do something.

Segment Synopsis: Reed shares how a letter from his second-grade teacher, Ms. Edwards, prompted him to return to his hometown and give the high school commencement speech in her honor.

Keywords: Elementary schools; Ms. Edwards; Munfordville Elementary School; Role models

Subjects: Education; Hart County (Ky.); Munfordville (Ky.); Teachers

Partial Transcript: You went to Western Kentucky University for your undergraduate?

Segment Synopsis: Reed describes he how came to choose law as a career and UK College of Law as his school.

Keywords: Law students; Western Kentucky University

Subjects: Law schools; University of Kentucky. College of Law

Partial Transcript: Uh, people ask me a lot, "What was law school like? Did you have fun?"

Segment Synopsis: Reed recalls his approach to being a law student, and talks about a psychology professor at Western Kentucky University who influenced the kind of lawyer Reed wanted to be.

Keywords: Law classes; Law students; UK Law; Western Kentucky University

Subjects: Law schools; University of Kentucky. College of Law

Partial Transcript: There was one experience, though.

Segment Synopsis: Reed recalls a conversation from his first year at UK Law with other black students about applying for positions with law firms that historically hadn't hired black candidates.

Keywords: Black American Law Students Association (BALSA); Brown, Todd & Heyburn; Law firms; Law students; Minority students; Racial diversity

Subjects: African American lawyers; Black American Law Students Association; Discrimination in employment; Law schools; Race relations; University of Kentucky. College of Law

Partial Transcript: You graduate from law school, you have, you know, one of the most coveted, you know, spots in town...

Segment Synopsis: Reed talks about his experiences as an associate at Brown, Todd & Heyburn, where he was the firm's first black attorney.

Keywords: Brown, Todd & Heyburn; Happy Perkins; Law firms; Pendennis Club

Subjects: African American lawyers; Corporate law; Law firm associates; Louisville (Ky.); Race relations

Partial Transcript: Along those lines, let's talk about the practice of law...

Segment Synopsis: Reed talks about his work on corporate cases as a first-year associate, and why he didn't find it fulfilling.

Keywords: Brown, Todd & Heyburn; Happy Perkins; Judge John G. Heyburn; Law firms

Subjects: Corporate law; Heyburn, John G. (John Gilpin), 1948-2015

Partial Transcript: So how did the clerkship come about?

Segment Synopsis: Reed recalls his impressions of Judge Johnstone when he interviewed for a clerkship in the Judge's chambers. Reed also shares an anecdote about buying a fish sandwich for Judge Johnstone ahead of the interview.

Keywords: Fish sandwiches; Job interviews; Judge Edward H. Johnstone; Judge Johnstone; Justice

Subjects: District courts--United States; Judges--United States; Law clerks; United States. District Court (Kentucky : Western District)

Partial Transcript: Did you move to Paducah?

Segment Synopsis: Reed shares memories of Judge Johnstone and his approach to the law, including juries and litigating parties.

Keywords: Big Ed; Judge Edward H. Johnstone; Judge Johnstone; Juries

Subjects: Judges--United States; Judicial administration--United States; Jurors; Jury; Law clerks; Litigation

Partial Transcript: Um, you moved to Paducah. Did you travel a lot in between duty stations with him?

Segment Synopsis: Reed recalls driving throughout the Western District with Judge Johnstone in his diesel Mercedes car.

Keywords: Judge Edward H. Johnstone; Judge Johnstone; Western District of Kentucky

Subjects: Court Administration; Court Proceedings; Law clerks; Paducah (Ky.); United States. District Court (Kentucky : Western District)

Partial Transcript: What was his approach to the courtroom?

Segment Synopsis: Reed recalls the ways that Judge Johnstone made clear that the courthouse, courtrooms, and his own chambers belonged to the public and not to himself.

Keywords: Courthouses; Courtrooms; Judge Edward H. Johnstone; Judicial chambers; Public trust

Subjects: District courts--United States; Judges--United States; Judicial administration--United States; United States. District Court (Kentucky : Western District)

Partial Transcript: What was his writing process like?

Segment Synopsis: Reed describes how Judge Johnstone interacted with his clerks during the drafting of memos and court opinions. He also talks about the sense of responsibility he felt as a law clerk in the research and writing process.

Keywords: Drafts; Judge Edward H. Johnstone; Judge Johnstone; Research; Writing process

Subjects: Court decisions and opinions; Judges--United States; Judicial opinions; Law clerks; Legal research and writing

Partial Transcript: You would see the Judge talk to other judges.

Segment Synopsis: Reed comments on the camaraderie he saw among the judges in the Western District.

Keywords: Collegiality; Western District judges

Subjects: Judges--United States; United States. District Court (Kentucky : Western District)

Partial Transcript: The Judge would, what you'd call, sit by designation...

Segment Synopsis: Reed describes what it was like when Judge Johnstone would sit on panels of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Keywords: Appellate judges; Bench memos; Judge Edward H. Johnstone; Judge Johnstone; Oral arguments; Sixth Circuit

Subjects: Circuit courts--United States; Judges--United States; Judicial opinions; Law clerks; Memorandums; United States. Circuit Court (6th Circuit)

Partial Transcript: Um, I clerked for the Judge from--this was right after my clerkship...

Segment Synopsis: Reed describes his determination to hear Nelson Mandela speak in front of the United States Congress weeks after being released from prison in South Africa.

Keywords: Judge Edward H. Johnstone; Judge Johnstone; Nelson Mandela speech; Ron Brown

Subjects: Apartheid; Brown, Ronald Harmon, 1941-1996; Mandela, Nelson, 1918-2013; United States. Congress (101st, 2nd session : 1990). House; United States. Congress. Joint Session

Partial Transcript: Governor Jones was running for--at the time, Brereton Jones, was running for governor.

Segment Synopsis: Reed talks about how he came to join Governor Brereton Jones' administration and the challenges of setting up a new executive body in an established system, the Executive Branch Ethics Commission.

Keywords: Deputy general counsel; Governor Jones; Governor's office; Kent Wicker

Subjects: Jones, Brereton; Kentucky. Executive Branch. Ethics Commission; Kentucky. Governor (1991-1995 : Jones)

Partial Transcript: Um, let's talk about your day-to-day. Who did you work with most closely in the office? What was that office like?

Segment Synopsis: Reed talks about the media's role in his daily responsibilities, and policy initiatives such as universal healthcare that the Jones administration undertook.

Keywords: Deputy general counsel; Governor Brereton Jones; Healthcare; Media; Press

Subjects: Jones, Brereton; Kentucky. Governor (1991-1995 : Jones); Louisville (Ky.); Medical care

Partial Transcript: The other thing that was going on during the Jones administration was Operation Boptrot.

Segment Synopsis: Reed talks about what the corruption scandal Operation Boptrot looked like from his view in the Office of the General Counsel.

Keywords: Deputy general counsel; Governor Brereton Jones; Legislators; Operation Boptrot

Subjects: Corruption; Frankfort (Ky.); Jones, Brereton; Kentucky. General Assembly. Senate; Kentucky. Governor (1991-1995 : Jones); United States Attorney's Office