Preston Holmes ’09 likes the fast pace of living in New York, much to the surprise of the North Carolina native. The legal services industry has been a seamless fit as well. Two months ago, Preston accepted a new position as Associate Attorney at Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, a leading civil defense litigation law firm in the Empire State that represents and advises insurers, self-insured businesses, and professionals in a wide range of professional liability, casualty, health law, employment, and workers' compensation matters. Preston recently shared this update on this professional life.
Question: What was the inspiration for pursuing a legal career?
Answer: My experience at Christ School gave me the confidence and comfortability in the exposure to many unique experiences. While in college, I had the opportunity to intern on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. (Summer 2016) and that opportunity served as an inspiration to pursue a career in law. Serving the state of North Carolina as a Congressional Intern is where my love for the law and critical legislative issues was born. I would credit Christ School for equipping me with the confidence, discipline and social skills to thrive in competitive environments.
Question: I know it’s only been a couple months, but how is the new job going in New York?
Answer: I’m fairly new at the firm and I’ve basically been learning the ropes and getting acclimated. From a day-to-day basis, what’s on my plate from a civil practice standpoint is constantly changing. I’m excited to be working on different and challenging areas of civil litigation defense including mediations, depositions and routine court appearances. Although I am enjoying the beginning of my legal career in New York City, little compares to being back in my home state of North Carolina.
Question: What stands out about your time at Christ School?
Answer: There are so many positive experiences that I could recall while attending Christ School. The most important part of my Christ School experience that holds strong to this day are the relationships that I developed with my fellow classmates. Many friendships created during my time at Christ School have turned into familial ties and I consider those guys as my brothers.