Stemmons retires after 39 years as attorney

Prominent name in Lawrence County law ends work on Mt. Vernon square
After a 39-year career, Mt. Vernon attorney Randee Stemmons has retired from her law practice. Her last official day on the job was on Friday, Dec. 30.

Stemmons was influenced into law early in life
Stemmons became involved in law early in her life, mainly due to the influence of her father, Robert Lee Stemmons.
“When I was 10 … I read “To Kill a Mockingbird” (you'll see I've got the posters on my wall), and at that time, my father was representing a young man who was accused of murder. That's when you were appointed to represent the indigent; there wasn't a public defender system. So, he was involved in that case (while) I was reading “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and he kind of became my Atticus Finch. And of course, I grew up with it. We talked about (the law) at the dinner table.
Stemmons also got some practical experience in the legal profession from her father.
“I started working in the abstract company when I was about 12 (my parents owned an abstract company) … and then I started going to court with my dad when I was in my early teens. It's (always) just been a part of my life.”
Stemmons later attended William Woods College (now University), from which she graduated with a bachelor’s in history in 1980. She then attended law school at the University of Missouri-Columbia and graduated with her degree in law in 1983, after which she came back to Mt. Vernon to work in the firm started by her grandfather, William Robert Stemmons, in 1915.
Stemmons added that she is particularly proud of the fact that, in the 1920s, her grandfather allowed a woman named Catherine Halterman to read law under him so that she could become a lawyer herself.
“That was in the days where you didn't necessarily have to go to law school,” she said. “You could apprentice in a law office (and) read the law, and so she was one of the first women attorneys here … that I know of in Lawrence County. He was an advocate for women back then.”

A career with a great deal of variety
Over the course of her career, Stemmons represented people in a variety of cases, and held some different roles as well.
“I've done a little bit of it all,” she said. “I started out doing criminal defense and litigation, probate (and) real estate. I was the Dade County prosecutor for 14 years, that was a part-time position, so I switched to the prosecutor side (but) still had a civil office opened here. The last few years I've concentrated on probate and real estate, although I'd spent a lot of years doing family law. I'm really a general practitioner. I wanted my clients to come in, (and) if it was an area that I did not feel comfortable with, I would help them find an expert that could do it for them.”

A witness to changes in the profession
Stemmons said the law doesn’t change very quickly, but over the span of her nearly 40-year career, she has seen some changes in the profession.
“I think it has become more inclusive,” she said. “Obviously gay rights (and) women's rights have become much more inclusive during that time. Family law has (also) evolved; it used to be the mother always got custody of the children, and that's not true anymore. The one area that hasn't evolved has been probate. It's probably still the same; most of probate statutes were written in 1945.”

Several wonderful memories
During her career, Stemmons had the opportunity to practice law with her father, and those are some of her fondest memories in law.
“The (memories) that stick out with me are the cases I tried with my dad. (He was) my mentor, and he was an incredible lawyer (and a) great litigator. So, when we would try jury trials together, that just meant so much to me, and I learned from so much from him.”
Stemmons said there will be many things she will miss from her career, including her clients, as well as going to court and visiting with other lawyers, but she said the person whom she will miss most is Patti McBride, who has worked at the firm for 47 years.
“She's kind of been the glue that's kept this together,” Stemmons said.

Stemmons will continue with municipal judgeships, pursue other interests
While she is closing her law firm, Stemmons isn’t leaving the law completely. She will keep her office and will be available to former clients who need their files or referrals. She will also retain her municipal judgeships in Mt. Vernon, Aurora, Seligman, Verona and Wheaton. However, she does have other interests she also plans to pursue.
“I want to give more to my church, to Emergency Services for Children (and) the charities I've worked for (over the) years. (I’m) ready to get out of the conflict arena and see what I can do to help others in other areas.”
Stemmons also has another personal ambition she wants to see completed.
“I'm going to build a house … out on our farm (for) a little peace and quiet out on the creek.”

Advice for those considering the law as their career
Stemmons also had some advice for young people who are considering a career in law.
“You need to know how to write well,” she said. “You need to know how to communicate well. It doesn't really make any difference what you major in in college; if you've got the ability to do that reasoning in your mind and that logic, you will be successful. I majored in history and business, (and) one of the top students in my law school class majored in piano, but it's a way of thinking. (In) the old (movie) “The Paper Chase,” when the professor says, “I'm going to take your mind of mush and turn you into a lawyer,” that's part of it. So, I think it's important to go observe cases, trials that are going on. (Also) hone your writing skills. Not all lawyers are litigators, so the there's not public speaking in all areas, but I think it's important just to have a good background. I had a liberal arts degree and I think that has helped me immensely.”