Senior Associate, Farrell Fritz, P.C.
“By maintaining balance in your life, you can lead the way…”
Community pillar, alumni board member, class parent, fundraising
volunteer, triathlete and accomplished law firm senior litigation
associate. In a world of 24/7 demands on one’s time, often
the busiest person is the one to turn to in order to get the job
done. Indeed, Kathryn C. Cole ’02 continues to be the “go to
person” for many individuals who are looking to get the job
done.
As the youngest of nine in a close knit family, Ms. Cole fondly
reflects upon the numerous individuals that influenced her
formative years: siblings, parents, professors and school coaches
easily jump to mind. Like many young adults, when it came
time to focus on a career, Ms. Cole drew on the experiences and
advice of individuals whom she respected. Members of a
neighboring family with ties to St. John’s Law suggested that with
her strong academic skills, determination and desire to make an
impact on her community she should consider a legal career.
While St. John's Law was a natural fit for Ms. Cole for a number of
reasons, the attractive academic scholarship package made available
to her confirmed that St. John's Law was the most logical
institution in which to pursue her legal career.
Determined to graduate in the “top 5” of her class, Ms. Cole
maintained a focused diligence regarding her study habits. In
addition to attaining her goal, Ms. Cole was the Notes &
Comments Editor of the St. John’s University Law Review. Her
success in Law School was parlayed into a two-year clerkship with
the Honorable Richard C. Wesley – first at the New York State Court
of Appeals (8/2002 – 6/2003) and then at the United States Court of
Appeals for the Second Circuit (6/2003 – 6/2004). After what Ms.
Cole refers to as the most invaluable two years of her career, she
stepped outside of the public service arena and accepted a position
as a commercial litigation associate at a top New York City law
firm, where she practiced for five years.
Ms. Cole’s litigation success coupled with her ability to
multi-task, led to offers from other law firms. She accepted
an offer from a medium-sized, regional Firm whose clientele
included: global corporations, investment banking firms and
financial institutions needing federal and regulatory body
representation. A benefit to the career move was the fact
that the Firm had an office outside of Manhattan within close
proximity to her hometown, which provided equilibrium to a healthy
balance between personal and professional obligations.
“Giving back to the community is a big part of who I am as a
person. I would feel as if I was missing something if I
wasn’t an active participant in my community. Throughout the
day the definition of community changes – family, fellow firm
members and individuals from my children’s school are part of my
community, and I have a responsibility to be vested and engaged
with each respective relationship,” notes Ms. Cole.
When a family friend was killed while serving as an Army Ranger
in Northern Iraq, Ms. Cole learned that the survivorship benefits
for Special Forces team members was a major challenge in the
financial lives of surviving family members. A desire to
support the “Lead the Way Fund, Inc.,” which addresses this
financial gap and raises funds in support of disabled U.S. Army
Rangers and the families of Rangers who have died, have been
injured or are currently serving in harm’s way around the world,
led to her involvement in the multi-disciplinary endurance sport of
triathlons by raising money through pledges underwriting the
competition. Ms. Cole is able to prepare for these events,
and still maintain a balance in her life by training before or
after work often in the company of her husband Scott, and children,
Griffin and Kaitlyn.
Ms. Cole suggests that, “recent St. John’s Law graduates should
view their job search and career as a long race. Do not get
discouraged early because your career is indeed more than just a
job. The St. John’s Law alumni network is quite large and
students should invest themselves in forging relationships while
still in Law School. Make an effort to differentiate yourself
and your skill set from others that may be interviewing for a
position. Be prepared for your interview by researching the
interviewing firm and knowing how to best communicate the skills
and attributes that you will be bringing to the position.”