Judge Derwin L. Webb: Overcoming setbacks in law school

Overcoming setbacks in law school is something our next guest is very familiar with. Judge Derwin L. Webb is the first African-American male Family Court Judge in the history of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. A first-generation attorney, Webb was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, but later moved to Louisville where he has lived for more than twenty-five years. A former standout basketball player at the University of Louisville for Hall of Fame basketball coach Denny Crum, Webb was a captain his senior year, and earned the respect of his peers both on and off the basketball court.

As an undergraduate, he was elected as a senator in the Student Government Association. In this role he represented the interests of the student population and discovered the importance of public service. He joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. After receiving his B.S. in Political Science, he attended the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville. Upon graduation, he began his legal career with the prestigious law firm, Stites & Harbison, where he learned all aspects of business and corporate law. He then returned to his alma mater to work as an Assistant Athletic Director where he supported the athletic department in areas of compliance, academics, and diversity. He was appointed by the president to serve on the University’s Commission on Diversity and Racial Equality, the president’s chief policy advisor on issues of diversity. He also served on numerous non-profit boards dedicated to improving the lives of individuals within the Kentuckiana region. This work earned Derwin the Business First “Forty Under Forty” Award for outstanding Louisville young professionals.

In episode 478 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out what it was like being bussed to other districts for school as a kid, how we can solve the gun violence in this country, why he decided to play basketball for the University of Louisville, why he's the only player who had to pay admission to his own basketball game, why he joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., how he was able to overcome the setbacks at law school, why his road to becoming a judge wasn't easy either, what it is like to be the first African-American man to serve as judge in Louisville's Family Court, and what is The Chronicles of the Traveling