Today I want to spotlight Trustus Theatre, which has long played an essential role not only in Columbia’s arts and culture scene, but also in the Kelly family. My son Patrick caught the theater bug when he was in middle school at Heathwood Hall, then went on to become a Trustus apprentice in high school. Being a single parent with a busy law practice and two teenage sons, I needed all the help I could get in raising my boys! There is a lot of truth to the adage “it takes a village,” and Trustus Theatre played a major role in Patrick’s upbringing—I have often told Jim and Kay Thigpen, Trustus’s co-founders, that they were like part-time parents to Patrick Michael Kelly! Today, Patrick and his wife, Martha Hearn Kelly, are Trustus staff members, and Trustus continues to excel through its unique brand and presentation of theatrical, musical, and comedy pieces to its patrons in the Midlands.

Next Monday, February 18, 2019, marks an ever-important, but often overlooked, federal holiday: Washington’s Birthday. Over two centuries ago, in 1800, we began recognizing Washington’s Birthday, albeit unofficially, as a day of remembrance, and it was declared an official federal holiday in 1879. Washington’s Birthday is synonymous with our country’s foundation, its beloved Constitution, and its fundamental values. Yet, Washington’s Birthday is rarely celebrated with the same fanfare as Independence Day, Labor Day, or Memorial Day.

In large part, I believe that its meaning is lost among confusion about the holiday itself; for example, you might be asking why I’m referring to “Washington’s Birthday” instead of “President’s Day.” The answer is “it’s complicated,” but here’s the short version: President’s Day is not a federally recognized holiday. On a national level the day is, and always has been, called Washington’s Birthday. However, after the official day of observance changed from George Washington’s actual birthday—February 22nd—to the third Monday of February, the holiday began to fall between Washington’s birthday and Lincoln’s birthday. Consequently, some states opted to observe President’s Day in honor of both men, and others honor all presidents on this day. In South Carolina, we celebrate “George Washington’s Birthday/ President’s Day.”

Valentine’s Day is on the horizon, and though many of people view it as no more than a “Hallmark” holiday, others use it as a time to acknowledge their love for those most important to them. But my thought on the subject is, why limit our expressions of love and gratitude to a single day? To summarize Corinthians, love is the greatest gift of all. We should take every opportunity to share that gift and make sure our loved ones know how much they’re appreciated.

Between marrying my sweetheart, Beverly, meeting my first grandchild, Helena, and adopting Millie, our rescue pup, the past year has brought an abundance of love and happiness into my life. I’ve also had more opportunities to spend time with my sons, who are my pride and joy. Just last week, we celebrated Mac’s 32nd birthday; for 32 years, I have been blessed with the gift of immense adoration and warmth that a father has for his youngest son. For all the love my family has instilled in me, I still cannot help but wonder–do I tell them enough just how important and loved they are?

On Monday, January 21st, we will celebrate the legacy of one of America’s greatest heroes—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Growing up in the South, I attended segregated schools and lived in a region that was very much a civil rights battlefield. And so, I will never forget watching, at age eleven, as Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, leaving me deeply inspired even then. Since 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been one of my personal heroes, and I have gone on to study not only his most renowned delivery but many of his other writings and teachings as well. I have traveled to Memphis, TN, to visit the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. King spent his final hours, and have even had the honor of meeting his son, Martin Luther King, III.

The legal profession has long been sensationalized in literature, television, and film, painting the public’s perception of trial work as riveting and fast-paced and trial lawyers as dramatic and unflappable—ready for anything the other side might throw at them. And while this perception is not necessarily inaccurate when it comes to trying cases, the majority of a litigator’s work consists of tedious and thorough investigation, planning, strategizing, and preparation. As Mike Kelly Law Group’s litigation team gears up for several trials set to move forward in 2019, I thought I’d share with you all a glimpse into the less glamorous—but no less grueling—work that makes up a normal day for a trial attorney.

Depending on the complexity of the issues at hand, the cumulative hours that our attorneys and paralegals put into preparing a single case for trial may amount to weeks, or even months, of work. Most of this time is spent conducting written discovery—a process through which parties exchange and gather evidence—as well as taking depositions, meeting and preparing with clients, consulting with expert witnesses, arguing pre-trial motions, and working through scheduling and evidentiary matters with the court in anticipation of trial. The trial itself is merely the tip of the iceberg in terms of a trial lawyer’s job.