November 15, 2025 • 24 mins
At the 2025 Mississippi Bar Convention, former State Supreme Court Justice Dawn Beam sat down with more than twenty leaders in law, policy, and public service—capturing three days of extraordinary conversations for a special seven-part series of her Hope Mississippi podcast. This is Part Seven, the final installment in this series until 2026. Meet us in Biloxi!
What does hope look like inside a justice system? It looks like a judge protecting a child’s settlement. It looks like a high school student arguing a case from memory with confidence and grace. It looks like a prosecutor praying with a family before trial and still fighting for accountability. In this episode, we sit down with attorney Kye C. Handy and prosecutor Ian Baker to explore the moments that turn curiosity into a calling—and a calling into service.
Kye C. Handy invites us into her path from Jackson to private practice, guided by female judges who modeled excellence and care. She pulls back the curtain on the Young Lawyers Division: HBCU outreach, statewide mock trial, and pro bono efforts that meet real needs. If you’ve ever wondered how to spark the next generation of advocates, you’ll hear a practical blueprint: show up in classrooms, bring students into courtrooms, and say yes to the small invitations that lead to big changes.
Ian Baker shares how faith informs his work without softening his resolve. Accountability and compassion can coexist when victims’ voices are honored and defendants are treated as people. He reflects on career pivots, a family rooted in public service, and why Mississippi offers space for anyone to lead boldly. Together we confront an urgent challenge—the rural lawyer shortage—and outline collaborative fixes so wills, guardianships, and small business needs don’t require a long drive and a longer wait.
If you care about justice, youth opportunities, or community leadership, this episode offers a grounded and hopeful roadmap. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s considering law school or small-town practice, and leave a review to help more Mississippians find their path to serve.
Join us for new episodes on the 1st and 15th of each month as we continue sharing stories of transformation from across Mississippi. Each story reminds us that when we contribute our unique gifts, Mississippi rises together.
Hope Mississippi's Mission: The sobering reality remains: one in four Mississippi children lives in poverty, and one in five experiences food insecurity. These statistics aren't just numbers—they're our collective challenge. Through these conversations, we discover that Mississippi's transformation occurs through individual commitments to mentor, encourage, and be present for others. The small acts of hope accumulate into the broader "miracles" we celebrate.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:10):
One in four kids live in poverty.
SPEAKER_02 (00:16):
One in five for food deprived.
SPEAKER_03 (00:21):
Build collaborations and build hope with those who
are struggling.
SPEAKER_00 (00:29):
Hope, Mississippi.
SPEAKER_06 (00:37):
Hello, and welcome back to the Mississippi Bar.
I have attorney, Kai Handy, herewith me.
Welcome, Kai.
Tell me a little bit aboutyourself.
SPEAKER_07 (00:48):
So I am originally from Jackson.
I went to Tougaloo forundergrad, and from there I went
to Ole Miss for law school.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time atOle Miss, editor of the yearbook
and law journal and everythingin between.
And from there, I've been inprivate practice.
SPEAKER_06 (01:04):
Well, you go, girl.
That's great.
And so you're in privatepractice in the Hines County.
Yes.
Okay.
What area do you practice in?
SPEAKER_07 (01:12):
So commercial litigation, mostly toxic tort,
deceptive trade practices, andcomplicated e-discovery matters.
SPEAKER_06 (01:18):
Wow.
You are a smart, smart girl.
I can tell that.
The computers do most of thework.
Good.
I say girl, I'm 61, so anybodyyounger than me, that's just,
you know, but you are a lovelyperson.
Thanks well.
Tell me about growing up andwhat brought you to law school.
SPEAKER_07 (01:36):
So, like I said, I'm a native of Jackson.
I grew up in Jackson for themost part.
We moved to Clinton withWorldCom.
So I've lived in Hines Countythe majority of my life.
I got the opportunity when I wasin college to shadow attorney
Sherry Flowers.
She was a longtime familyfriend.
She is deceased now, but she wasamazing.
(01:58):
And she knew I had an interestin law school.
And so one summer she was like,okay, well, I will see you every
day this summer.
So I came, shadowed her tocourt, and we were in Hines
County Chancery Court.
And while there, we were infront of Judge Wise.
And she was like, Judge Wise,she wants to be a lawyer one
day.
She's shadowing me.
And Judge Wise goes, Well,sounds good.
(02:19):
We'll see you tomorrowafternoon.
SPEAKER_06 (02:21):
Judge Wise and Judge Owens were two huge mentors of
mine.
They took the bench about 1989in that area.
And they're just phenomenalwomen, weren't they?
Yes.
SPEAKER_07 (02:33):
Yes.
And so I got the opportunity towork with both of them that
summer.
I will say it did let me knowChancery was not necessarily
going to be my favorite thing,but it did solidify a want that
I had had since a child to be alawyer.
SPEAKER_06 (02:46):
And their character, they're retired.
I c I'd say were.
They're still out there, and Ihope they are having a blast in
retirement with grandkids andthings.
Yes.
There were mothers, they werelawyers, they were so many
things, but they were alwaysprofessional and helped me and
(03:07):
other lawyers to develop thosequalities.
SPEAKER_07 (03:09):
Yes, no, they were, it was great practicing in front
of them.
You know, I went from clerkingfor a summer out of nowhere to
practicing in front of them andreally seeing the commitment
that they had to a lot of what Iended up doing was minor
settlements.
So seeing the commitment thatthey had to children, making
sure that, you know, if a childwas injured in an accident, that
they were getting their fairshare of money, that this money
(03:32):
was going to be protected andused for that child, and seeing
that they really actually caredabout the cases that came into
their courtroom every day.
SPEAKER_06 (03:41):
One thing we do at the bar is we celebrate our rich
heritage that so many peoplecame before us that impacted our
lives.
And we celebrate that andremember that.
So shout out to Judge Wise andJudge Owens and so many judges,
Judge Deborah Gambrel, who's adear friend of mine, but so many
(04:03):
females that helped us along theway.
You went to law school.
Tell me how you ended up whereyou are now.
SPEAKER_07 (04:12):
Well, that is a long journey.
So I've been practicing 10years, which I know seems like a
very short amount of time.
But in that 10 years, I'veactually been on the YLD board
for about nine of those 10years.
Now, YLD is what?
The Young Lawyers Division ofthe Mississippi Bar.
Okay, and what do they do?
So the Young Lawyers Division isany attorney who is 37 or
(04:32):
younger, or within your firstthree years of practice, if
you're over 37.
I like to say that we are theworkhorse of the bar.
That's true.
We are the ones who are puttingon a lot of the pro bono events.
We did a Wheels for Hero.
We have done our HBCU days wherewe kind of go around to the
different schools, tell themwhat the practice of law is
about, different areas of thelaw that you can go into, how to
(04:55):
apply to law school.
We also do the high school mocktrial competition, which is a
statewide competition.
And actually, we just found outthat our winners of that
competition this year went on tonationals, and they won, I
think, four out of their sixrounds.
So we're very proud of them.
They were only defeated by thenumber two and number six teams
(05:15):
in the nation.
Wow.
So they did a great job.
That's something that the younglawyers host.
But I have at this pointprobably served on most
positions on that board.
I got a call that was like, hey,we know you haven't even been
practicing a year, but we nextupcoming bar year, we're looking
for a diversity chair.
And so I served two years as adiversity chair with the young
(05:36):
lawyers.
I served a year as the lawyer inevery Mississippi classroom
chair.
I have also served as adirector.
I have served as the mock trialchair.
I have been present-electpresident, and I currently serve
as immediate past president.
But as of yesterday at 4 p.m., Iam done.
And there is a new immediatepast president.
SPEAKER_06 (05:56):
Kai, don't get too relaxed because I am confident
that you've got other areas thatyou're going to be working in.
Let's talk a little bit.
You know, one thing we need isfor more young people to step
out and to be lawyers.
So the young lawyers division,every lawyer in a classroom, but
mock trial, I'm old enough thatI used to coach mock trial, and
(06:19):
now I have lawyers that I seethat were in that competition
that I helped mentor.
And it's like, whoop, whoop, youknow, we made it.
So let's talk about how mocktrial plays a role in helping
young people see the greatthings that lawyers can do.
SPEAKER_07 (06:36):
One of the things that I really like about the
mock trial program is it is fora lot of students their first
introduction to the law.
And thankfully, it is a goodintroduction to the law.
I would prefer it if thesestudents had a positive
introduction as opposed to anegative introduction to our
legal system.
And so this gives them a chanceto, you know, work on public
(06:57):
speaking, work on confidence, aswell as meeting lawyers and
judges in the system and seeingthat they are normal people,
just like you are, and that oneday someone who looks like you
who is already doing it, you canbe that person.
SPEAKER_06 (07:11):
Absolutely.
And, you know, even if you endup not being a lawyer, it helps
you with communication skillsand learning how to argue
analytically.
There are lots of things kidstake away.
SPEAKER_07 (07:24):
Yes.
No, it is a great program.
And I will let you know, andI've said this multiple times,
once you get to the statewidecompetition, some of these kids
are way better than people I'mpracticing with every day.
They have such a presence andcomposure, and they're doing it
without notes.
You know, in the real world, wetake notes up to the podium with
us.
Mock trial, all of it ismemorized, and they are
(07:45):
presenting an entire case withevidence, with a set of rule of
evidence, rules of civilprocedure that they have to
follow, and they are doing itall without notes.
SPEAKER_06 (07:54):
Okay, Kyle, we've talked about how folks along the
way encouraged you.
But let's talk about hope forMississippi and how we want to
encourage Mississippians to bethat hope, to encourage people
to do their part.
Not everybody's meant to be alawyer.
(08:14):
I often say with foster care,we're not all called to be
foster parents, but we're allcalled to do something.
SPEAKER_07 (08:20):
So always say yes within boundaries, set your
boundaries, but always say yes,try new experiences, because for
all you know, that newexperience could change someone
else's life as well as yours.
SPEAKER_06 (08:32):
I could not agree more.
Kai, you are just a beautifulperson, and thank you so much
for sharing with us Hope,Mississippi.
If you've listened today, I hopethat you take away that Kai is
making a difference inMississippi, but she also works
to bring other folks along, andwe challenge you to do the same
(08:52):
thing.
Yes, we do.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_04 (08:55):
Hope Mississippi is your salvation.
SPEAKER_06 (09:01):
Hello, we're back at the Mississippi Bar, and I've
snagged one more lawyer for us,Ian Baker.
Welcome, Ian Baker.
SPEAKER_02 (09:09):
Good morning.
Glad to be speaking with you.
SPEAKER_06 (09:12):
Well, Ian, I got to know you along the campaign
trail this past year, and I knowyou to be a godly lawyer as well
as husband and father, but Iwant to talk first about your
upbringing.
What who molded you along theway?
(09:33):
None of us got to where we areon our own.
SPEAKER_02 (09:36):
Right.
So obviously my parents myparents were great parents and
and really valued education andand learning and pushed me to to
do well in school and make thata priority.
Um as far as becoming a lawyer,though, my two best friends
growing up, their parents werelawyers.
It's something that that sparkeda little interest, but I wanted
(09:59):
to be a football coach.
But in the 11th grade, I went tothe National Young Leaders
Conference in Washington, DC.
Uh and one of the things we didwas a mock Supreme Court case.
And I got assigned the part of alawyer in that case and and had
the opportunity to to argue thatcase at the Supreme Court.
I thought to myself, hey, I Ithink I could do this.
(10:20):
And so that's from that day onmy plan changed from being a
football coach to being alawyer.
SPEAKER_06 (10:26):
You know, that's the importance of taking
opportunities in the summer whenyou don't have that structured
school to just test things andsee what might be the fit.
I our kids have all been thosetype of things, and it does have
a huge impact.
Well, wow, so you liked it, youfelt good about it.
What happened after that?
SPEAKER_02 (10:47):
I went on to college at Mississippi College and and
was pre-law and maintainedpre-law the whole time and went
on to MC Law, which was a greatexperience for me.
In candor, it wasn't my firstchoice.
My now wife, who was my fianceat the time, was that old miss.
MC ended up being the rightplace for me.
SPEAKER_06 (11:07):
You know, isn't it funny how God just leads you
there?
My son graduated from MC, and hedidn't only get a JD from MC, he
got a boatload of friends thathe has continued to be with.
So God's plans are perfect,right?
SPEAKER_02 (11:23):
They are, always.
And and the same is true for me.
I have a a number of very goodfriends from Mississippi College
that I that I wouldn't have hadotherwise.
SPEAKER_06 (11:31):
And for the record, I'm a Ole Miss grad, so I do
have lots of friends from OleMiss, but I just acknowledge
that God's plans are perfect,and we say thanks be to God for
that.
So then you went on.
Now you I know you're aprosecutor now.
Have you always been aprosecutor?
SPEAKER_02 (11:46):
No, I have not.
Right out of law school, Iclerked at the uh court of
appeals for Judge Myers.
Then my wife was working for a afirm in Madison or Ridgeland,
but I got uh a a job offer withthe plaintiff's firm on the
coast.
And luckily her firm had aoffice on the coast, so she was
able to transfer down to thecoast, and we were both in
(12:07):
private practice.
I I on the plaintiff's side andshe on the on the defense side.
And then she actually served ona grand jury.
At the end of her term on thegrand jury, there was an opening
in the DA's office, and the ADAsthat had gotten to know her
asked her, Hey, would youconsider coming to the DA's
(12:28):
office?
And and so she did that.
I thought great for her, veryhappy for her, but that was
something I always wanted to do.
And I thought that door wasclosed to me.
But you know, God works in inamazing ways.
And several years down the road,I invited the DA to a leadership
conference at my church, and wejust got to talking about our
(12:51):
leadership styles and our faithand and our values.
And I didn't know it, but one ofthe ADAs had it put in there two
weeks' notice.
And so that conversation turnedinto a job offer, and that was
100% God working in his time.
SPEAKER_06 (13:07):
You know, we're in Mississippi, and faith really
drives a lot of what we do here.
I certainly God has directed mypath.
Let's talk just a little bitabout that.
I know your pri your pastor,Jimmy Stewart, he is just the a
wonderful, wonderful, godly man.
He is.
But talk about your faith alittle bit and when we talk
(13:28):
about Hope, Mississippi, therole of your faith in all of
that.
SPEAKER_02 (13:32):
Well, I mean, faith if it impacts everything I do.
You know, I I I try to thinkabout what I should do as a
Christian in every decision thatI make.
You can be a prosecutor and holdpeople accountable and still be
compassionate for them aspeople.
And that's something that I tryto do is always acknowledge that
that that's a person, eventhough that what's best for them
(13:53):
at this time may be punishment.
I have found that an easy thingto work together with and not
not not it be not it not beingan impediment to doing the job.
SPEAKER_06 (14:05):
You know, when we talk about the judicial system
and justice, it's important forlay people to understand that we
have folks in the profession,prosecutors, defenders, judges,
all of us at the end of the daywant to do the right thing, and
that we value every life.
(14:26):
Every life has value.
And so I I appreciate whatyou're saying.
I'm gonna tell you a secret.
I prosecuted one time in circuitcourt.
I was a law student, and alittle guy had stolen a
chainsaw, and he was a habitualoffender, which meant that if he
(14:47):
was convicted, he would go tojail for the rest of his life,
right?
And when the jury came back, andI think it didn't take five
minutes for them to go in thereand convict him, I cried.
I cried and I thought, ooh, Ican't do this.
But the reality is that we'renot without compassion, but
we're c a country and a statewhere there's a rule of law.
SPEAKER_02 (15:08):
And one thing that I think often gets somewhat
overlooked in our criminaljustice system because it is so,
and rightly so, focused on thedefendant and the defendant's
rights, but there are victims,and those victims have rights,
and those victims deserved tohave some an advocate for them.
And that's something that'simportant to me, and that's you
know, in our office weprioritize spending a lot of
(15:30):
time with with victims andvictims' families and letting
them know what's going onthroughout the process.
And I have many times prayedwith families of victims, both
before, during, and aftertrials.
And that's always been somethingthat is is dear to me is to be
be able to not only be anadvocate for them, but also
maybe be an example of Christ intheir life.
SPEAKER_06 (15:52):
Absolutely.
Wow.
I know that is such a blessingto folks.
Let's talk about your wife andyour family just a minute.
You knocked it out of theballpark just like I did.
SPEAKER_02 (16:03):
I did.
I definitely outkicked mycoverage, yes.
SPEAKER_06 (16:06):
Um, she's an attorney, and y'all have
children together?
SPEAKER_02 (16:09):
Yes, we do.
We have three three daughters.
Yes, my wife is a HarrisonCounty Court judge, was a
prosecutor for 13 years beforethat.
Uh, we have three daughters.
Campbell, the oldest is 16.
Wow.
We'll be 17 soon.
Middle one, Sarah, is eleven,and the youngest is Emma Kate,
and she will be uh nine on the20th.
SPEAKER_06 (16:29):
Let's talk about your hope for their future.
SPEAKER_02 (16:32):
The sky's the limit.
And and one thing that makes mevery proud is that they get to
see how successful their motherhas been.
That lets them know that theycan do anything, that there are
no barriers to what they can do.
And so I'm very proud of her andvery proud of the mother she is
and the example she is to ourgirls.
SPEAKER_06 (16:54):
I think of Proverbs 3, 5 and 6, that when we
acknowledge God and give it allto Him, He really does direct
our paths.
And as a parent, you kind offeel hopeless or helpless after
a time uh period because youcan't make those decisions.
They're the ones that are, butit's an opportunity to change
(17:17):
the world by being a parent andsharing that hope.
I know that you have lots ofhopes for them, and certainly
your church has played a role inmolding their lives.
SPEAKER_02 (17:27):
It it certainly has, and it it's it's always a a
proud parent moment when you seeyour kids make choices to to
follow God, to be leaders and inthe church.
And you know, my my oldestdaughter, she she leads in
worship, she plays manyinstruments the piano, the
cello, the guitar, and manyothers.
SPEAKER_06 (17:46):
Where'd she get that from?
SPEAKER_02 (17:48):
From her mother.
SPEAKER_06 (17:48):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (17:49):
Her mother has the music talent in our in our
family, so definitely not fromme.
I like to sing, but people maynot like to hear, you know.
SPEAKER_06 (17:57):
Well, you are a great leader in our state and
just a godly band.
And I thank you for sharing withus just a little bit the
challenge to Mississippians.
Be all that God would have youto be, and there'll be hope,
right?
SPEAKER_02 (18:11):
Right.
And you know, I loveMississippi, and and we
sometimes get a a a, I think,wrongful, bad rap with in the
rest of the country.
But people can be anything anddo anything they want to be in
Mississippi, and Mississippi'son the rise, I believe.
There's no place I'd rather be.
SPEAKER_06 (18:27):
Same here.
Go, Mississippi.
And if you're listening, go, go,go and make a difference in our
state.
Be that hope you want to see inour world.
Thank you, Ian.
SPEAKER_02 (18:38):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_04 (18:39):
Mississippi is your salvation.
SPEAKER_06 (18:45):
Hillary, what a fun time we have had here at the
Mississippi Bar Convention.
SPEAKER_01 (18:51):
You know everybody.
Everybody here.
It's amazing.
I have never met more judges,more incredible attorneys.
Just everybody who's anybody inMississippian law is here.
SPEAKER_06 (19:04):
Well, you know, it it has been fun to reminisce.
And um, you're sweet to saythat.
I I don't necessarily agree withthat, but it is it has been
wonderful to get reacquaintedwith folks, former presidents of
the bar who have led the way.
And I hope that when peoplelisten to this, that they take
(19:25):
away from it that one, we havean incredible justice system in
Mississippi, and that by andlarge, the vast majority of
people are just committed todoing the right thing.
SPEAKER_01 (19:39):
It's definitely a very, very much a community,
people helping people.
I have been licensed in a coupleother states and been to bar
conventions.
This is very special, and thisis very different from the
typical.
SPEAKER_06 (19:54):
To our folks that are listening, have faith in the
judicial system and in thesystem of justice.
We also want to encourage youngpeople to become lawyers, make a
difference, locate in a smallcommunity where you will become
a leader in that community.
SPEAKER_01 (20:13):
That's very important.
There is a shortage of lawyers.
And in my home state, I don'tknow what the statistic is, we
will look it up.
But in my home state ofCalifornia, 82% of people go
through the family law processwithout counsel.
I can't imagine that.
SPEAKER_06 (20:29):
Well, we all need somebody to believe in us and to
advocate for us.
And so it's really an honor forlawyers to represent you and to
help you through difficulttimes.
And I can't tell you how fun itis to see clients five, 10,
well, maybe 20 or 30 yearslater, and they say, You changed
(20:51):
my life.
You helped me through adifficult time.
Thank you.
And and that's so rewarding as alawyer.
SPEAKER_01 (20:58):
I have a question for the questioner.
How do you feel afterinterviewing 20 people at the
state bar convention?
And how has that forwarded yourmission for Hope, Mississippi?
SPEAKER_06 (21:09):
Wow.
Well, number one, I'm leavinghere with a lot of hope.
A lot of hope that we have greatpeople in Mississippi that are
determined to make a difference.
I also see a challenge fromleadership standpoint.
One thing we need to continue tofight, fight, fight for our
children and families and foreducation and mental health and
(21:32):
so many areas that are in needof leadership.
And so I certainly don't intendto back down, but to continue to
work hard.
And then three, in particular, Iwas approached by the president
of the bar that said, we havegot to do something about
getting lawyers in rural areas.
(21:54):
And so I look forward to gettingback home and getting all of my
efforts behind helping thelegislature, local communities,
the bar, the Supreme Court.
I've talked to the Chief Justicehere, and it's just imperative
that we have lawyers across thestate.
You shouldn't have to go to thelargest city to find somebody to
(22:19):
do a will or basic legal things.
In addition, lawyers are thebackbone of the community, and
we need your leadership.
If you're thinking about goingto law, consider going to a
small community.
I promise you, I recentlyestablished a law firm in a
(22:40):
small community, and mycommunity has embraced me, and
it's been so rewarding.
SPEAKER_01 (22:47):
Amazing.
So I am again very honored to beable to walk through this
process with you.
And I think just the fact thatyou are here at the State Bar
Convention, you are the firstperson to have a live podcast
booth going on.
Everyone is fascinated by whatyou're doing.
And I know that just by beinghere and talking to so many
(23:10):
different people from so manyareas of law and so many levels
or so many parts of their careerthat you have indeed brought
hope to Mississippi.
And I look forward to another 25episodes before December.
SPEAKER_06 (23:25):
Absolutely.
You know, Hillary, we all haveour gifts, and you have just
been fabulous in helping me withthis.
And I could not have done itwithout you.
I typed my notes on a typewriterwhen I was in law school.
I have a limited technology.
But if you're out there and youhave a dream, there are people
like Hillary that can help makethat dream come true.
(23:46):
So keep pushing, keep fighting,keep doing all you can to spread
hope across Mississippi.
Amen.
One in four kids live in poverty.
SPEAKER_02 (00:16):
One in five for food deprived.
SPEAKER_03 (00:21):
Build collaborations and build hope with those who
are struggling.
SPEAKER_00 (00:29):
Hope, Mississippi.
SPEAKER_06 (00:37):
Hello, and welcome back to the Mississippi Bar.
I have attorney, Kai Handy, herewith me.
Welcome, Kai.
Tell me a little bit aboutyourself.
SPEAKER_07 (00:48):
So I am originally from Jackson.
I went to Tougaloo forundergrad, and from there I went
to Ole Miss for law school.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time atOle Miss, editor of the yearbook
and law journal and everythingin between.
And from there, I've been inprivate practice.
SPEAKER_06 (01:04):
Well, you go, girl.
That's great.
And so you're in privatepractice in the Hines County.
Yes.
Okay.
What area do you practice in?
SPEAKER_07 (01:12):
So commercial litigation, mostly toxic tort,
deceptive trade practices, andcomplicated e-discovery matters.
SPEAKER_06 (01:18):
Wow.
You are a smart, smart girl.
I can tell that.
The computers do most of thework.
Good.
I say girl, I'm 61, so anybodyyounger than me, that's just,
you know, but you are a lovelyperson.
Thanks well.
Tell me about growing up andwhat brought you to law school.
SPEAKER_07 (01:36):
So, like I said, I'm a native of Jackson.
I grew up in Jackson for themost part.
We moved to Clinton withWorldCom.
So I've lived in Hines Countythe majority of my life.
I got the opportunity when I wasin college to shadow attorney
Sherry Flowers.
She was a longtime familyfriend.
She is deceased now, but she wasamazing.
(01:58):
And she knew I had an interestin law school.
And so one summer she was like,okay, well, I will see you every
day this summer.
So I came, shadowed her tocourt, and we were in Hines
County Chancery Court.
And while there, we were infront of Judge Wise.
And she was like, Judge Wise,she wants to be a lawyer one
day.
She's shadowing me.
And Judge Wise goes, Well,sounds good.
(02:19):
We'll see you tomorrowafternoon.
SPEAKER_06 (02:21):
Judge Wise and Judge Owens were two huge mentors of
mine.
They took the bench about 1989in that area.
And they're just phenomenalwomen, weren't they?
Yes.
SPEAKER_07 (02:33):
Yes.
And so I got the opportunity towork with both of them that
summer.
I will say it did let me knowChancery was not necessarily
going to be my favorite thing,but it did solidify a want that
I had had since a child to be alawyer.
SPEAKER_06 (02:46):
And their character, they're retired.
I c I'd say were.
They're still out there, and Ihope they are having a blast in
retirement with grandkids andthings.
Yes.
There were mothers, they werelawyers, they were so many
things, but they were alwaysprofessional and helped me and
(03:07):
other lawyers to develop thosequalities.
SPEAKER_07 (03:09):
Yes, no, they were, it was great practicing in front
of them.
You know, I went from clerkingfor a summer out of nowhere to
practicing in front of them andreally seeing the commitment
that they had to a lot of what Iended up doing was minor
settlements.
So seeing the commitment thatthey had to children, making
sure that, you know, if a childwas injured in an accident, that
they were getting their fairshare of money, that this money
(03:32):
was going to be protected andused for that child, and seeing
that they really actually caredabout the cases that came into
their courtroom every day.
SPEAKER_06 (03:41):
One thing we do at the bar is we celebrate our rich
heritage that so many peoplecame before us that impacted our
lives.
And we celebrate that andremember that.
So shout out to Judge Wise andJudge Owens and so many judges,
Judge Deborah Gambrel, who's adear friend of mine, but so many
(04:03):
females that helped us along theway.
You went to law school.
Tell me how you ended up whereyou are now.
SPEAKER_07 (04:12):
Well, that is a long journey.
So I've been practicing 10years, which I know seems like a
very short amount of time.
But in that 10 years, I'veactually been on the YLD board
for about nine of those 10years.
Now, YLD is what?
The Young Lawyers Division ofthe Mississippi Bar.
Okay, and what do they do?
So the Young Lawyers Division isany attorney who is 37 or
(04:32):
younger, or within your firstthree years of practice, if
you're over 37.
I like to say that we are theworkhorse of the bar.
That's true.
We are the ones who are puttingon a lot of the pro bono events.
We did a Wheels for Hero.
We have done our HBCU days wherewe kind of go around to the
different schools, tell themwhat the practice of law is
about, different areas of thelaw that you can go into, how to
(04:55):
apply to law school.
We also do the high school mocktrial competition, which is a
statewide competition.
And actually, we just found outthat our winners of that
competition this year went on tonationals, and they won, I
think, four out of their sixrounds.
So we're very proud of them.
They were only defeated by thenumber two and number six teams
(05:15):
in the nation.
Wow.
So they did a great job.
That's something that the younglawyers host.
But I have at this pointprobably served on most
positions on that board.
I got a call that was like, hey,we know you haven't even been
practicing a year, but we nextupcoming bar year, we're looking
for a diversity chair.
And so I served two years as adiversity chair with the young
(05:36):
lawyers.
I served a year as the lawyer inevery Mississippi classroom
chair.
I have also served as adirector.
I have served as the mock trialchair.
I have been present-electpresident, and I currently serve
as immediate past president.
But as of yesterday at 4 p.m., Iam done.
And there is a new immediatepast president.
SPEAKER_06 (05:56):
Kai, don't get too relaxed because I am confident
that you've got other areas thatyou're going to be working in.
Let's talk a little bit.
You know, one thing we need isfor more young people to step
out and to be lawyers.
So the young lawyers division,every lawyer in a classroom, but
mock trial, I'm old enough thatI used to coach mock trial, and
(06:19):
now I have lawyers that I seethat were in that competition
that I helped mentor.
And it's like, whoop, whoop, youknow, we made it.
So let's talk about how mocktrial plays a role in helping
young people see the greatthings that lawyers can do.
SPEAKER_07 (06:36):
One of the things that I really like about the
mock trial program is it is fora lot of students their first
introduction to the law.
And thankfully, it is a goodintroduction to the law.
I would prefer it if thesestudents had a positive
introduction as opposed to anegative introduction to our
legal system.
And so this gives them a chanceto, you know, work on public
(06:57):
speaking, work on confidence, aswell as meeting lawyers and
judges in the system and seeingthat they are normal people,
just like you are, and that oneday someone who looks like you
who is already doing it, you canbe that person.
SPEAKER_06 (07:11):
Absolutely.
And, you know, even if you endup not being a lawyer, it helps
you with communication skillsand learning how to argue
analytically.
There are lots of things kidstake away.
SPEAKER_07 (07:24):
Yes.
No, it is a great program.
And I will let you know, andI've said this multiple times,
once you get to the statewidecompetition, some of these kids
are way better than people I'mpracticing with every day.
They have such a presence andcomposure, and they're doing it
without notes.
You know, in the real world, wetake notes up to the podium with
us.
Mock trial, all of it ismemorized, and they are
(07:45):
presenting an entire case withevidence, with a set of rule of
evidence, rules of civilprocedure that they have to
follow, and they are doing itall without notes.
SPEAKER_06 (07:54):
Okay, Kyle, we've talked about how folks along the
way encouraged you.
But let's talk about hope forMississippi and how we want to
encourage Mississippians to bethat hope, to encourage people
to do their part.
Not everybody's meant to be alawyer.
(08:14):
I often say with foster care,we're not all called to be
foster parents, but we're allcalled to do something.
SPEAKER_07 (08:20):
So always say yes within boundaries, set your
boundaries, but always say yes,try new experiences, because for
all you know, that newexperience could change someone
else's life as well as yours.
SPEAKER_06 (08:32):
I could not agree more.
Kai, you are just a beautifulperson, and thank you so much
for sharing with us Hope,Mississippi.
If you've listened today, I hopethat you take away that Kai is
making a difference inMississippi, but she also works
to bring other folks along, andwe challenge you to do the same
(08:52):
thing.
Yes, we do.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_04 (08:55):
Hope Mississippi is your salvation.
SPEAKER_06 (09:01):
Hello, we're back at the Mississippi Bar, and I've
snagged one more lawyer for us,Ian Baker.
Welcome, Ian Baker.
SPEAKER_02 (09:09):
Good morning.
Glad to be speaking with you.
SPEAKER_06 (09:12):
Well, Ian, I got to know you along the campaign
trail this past year, and I knowyou to be a godly lawyer as well
as husband and father, but Iwant to talk first about your
upbringing.
What who molded you along theway?
(09:33):
None of us got to where we areon our own.
SPEAKER_02 (09:36):
Right.
So obviously my parents myparents were great parents and
and really valued education andand learning and pushed me to to
do well in school and make thata priority.
Um as far as becoming a lawyer,though, my two best friends
growing up, their parents werelawyers.
It's something that that sparkeda little interest, but I wanted
(09:59):
to be a football coach.
But in the 11th grade, I went tothe National Young Leaders
Conference in Washington, DC.
Uh and one of the things we didwas a mock Supreme Court case.
And I got assigned the part of alawyer in that case and and had
the opportunity to to argue thatcase at the Supreme Court.
I thought to myself, hey, I Ithink I could do this.
(10:20):
And so that's from that day onmy plan changed from being a
football coach to being alawyer.
SPEAKER_06 (10:26):
You know, that's the importance of taking
opportunities in the summer whenyou don't have that structured
school to just test things andsee what might be the fit.
I our kids have all been thosetype of things, and it does have
a huge impact.
Well, wow, so you liked it, youfelt good about it.
What happened after that?
SPEAKER_02 (10:47):
I went on to college at Mississippi College and and
was pre-law and maintainedpre-law the whole time and went
on to MC Law, which was a greatexperience for me.
In candor, it wasn't my firstchoice.
My now wife, who was my fianceat the time, was that old miss.
MC ended up being the rightplace for me.
SPEAKER_06 (11:07):
You know, isn't it funny how God just leads you
there?
My son graduated from MC, and hedidn't only get a JD from MC, he
got a boatload of friends thathe has continued to be with.
So God's plans are perfect,right?
SPEAKER_02 (11:23):
They are, always.
And and the same is true for me.
I have a a number of very goodfriends from Mississippi College
that I that I wouldn't have hadotherwise.
SPEAKER_06 (11:31):
And for the record, I'm a Ole Miss grad, so I do
have lots of friends from OleMiss, but I just acknowledge
that God's plans are perfect,and we say thanks be to God for
that.
So then you went on.
Now you I know you're aprosecutor now.
Have you always been aprosecutor?
SPEAKER_02 (11:46):
No, I have not.
Right out of law school, Iclerked at the uh court of
appeals for Judge Myers.
Then my wife was working for a afirm in Madison or Ridgeland,
but I got uh a a job offer withthe plaintiff's firm on the
coast.
And luckily her firm had aoffice on the coast, so she was
able to transfer down to thecoast, and we were both in
(12:07):
private practice.
I I on the plaintiff's side andshe on the on the defense side.
And then she actually served ona grand jury.
At the end of her term on thegrand jury, there was an opening
in the DA's office, and the ADAsthat had gotten to know her
asked her, Hey, would youconsider coming to the DA's
(12:28):
office?
And and so she did that.
I thought great for her, veryhappy for her, but that was
something I always wanted to do.
And I thought that door wasclosed to me.
But you know, God works in inamazing ways.
And several years down the road,I invited the DA to a leadership
conference at my church, and wejust got to talking about our
(12:51):
leadership styles and our faithand and our values.
And I didn't know it, but one ofthe ADAs had it put in there two
weeks' notice.
And so that conversation turnedinto a job offer, and that was
100% God working in his time.
SPEAKER_06 (13:07):
You know, we're in Mississippi, and faith really
drives a lot of what we do here.
I certainly God has directed mypath.
Let's talk just a little bitabout that.
I know your pri your pastor,Jimmy Stewart, he is just the a
wonderful, wonderful, godly man.
He is.
But talk about your faith alittle bit and when we talk
(13:28):
about Hope, Mississippi, therole of your faith in all of
that.
SPEAKER_02 (13:32):
Well, I mean, faith if it impacts everything I do.
You know, I I I try to thinkabout what I should do as a
Christian in every decision thatI make.
You can be a prosecutor and holdpeople accountable and still be
compassionate for them aspeople.
And that's something that I tryto do is always acknowledge that
that that's a person, eventhough that what's best for them
(13:53):
at this time may be punishment.
I have found that an easy thingto work together with and not
not not it be not it not beingan impediment to doing the job.
SPEAKER_06 (14:05):
You know, when we talk about the judicial system
and justice, it's important forlay people to understand that we
have folks in the profession,prosecutors, defenders, judges,
all of us at the end of the daywant to do the right thing, and
that we value every life.
(14:26):
Every life has value.
And so I I appreciate whatyou're saying.
I'm gonna tell you a secret.
I prosecuted one time in circuitcourt.
I was a law student, and alittle guy had stolen a
chainsaw, and he was a habitualoffender, which meant that if he
(14:47):
was convicted, he would go tojail for the rest of his life,
right?
And when the jury came back, andI think it didn't take five
minutes for them to go in thereand convict him, I cried.
I cried and I thought, ooh, Ican't do this.
But the reality is that we'renot without compassion, but
we're c a country and a statewhere there's a rule of law.
SPEAKER_02 (15:08):
And one thing that I think often gets somewhat
overlooked in our criminaljustice system because it is so,
and rightly so, focused on thedefendant and the defendant's
rights, but there are victims,and those victims have rights,
and those victims deserved tohave some an advocate for them.
And that's something that'simportant to me, and that's you
know, in our office weprioritize spending a lot of
(15:30):
time with with victims andvictims' families and letting
them know what's going onthroughout the process.
And I have many times prayedwith families of victims, both
before, during, and aftertrials.
And that's always been somethingthat is is dear to me is to be
be able to not only be anadvocate for them, but also
maybe be an example of Christ intheir life.
SPEAKER_06 (15:52):
Absolutely.
Wow.
I know that is such a blessingto folks.
Let's talk about your wife andyour family just a minute.
You knocked it out of theballpark just like I did.
SPEAKER_02 (16:03):
I did.
I definitely outkicked mycoverage, yes.
SPEAKER_06 (16:06):
Um, she's an attorney, and y'all have
children together?
SPEAKER_02 (16:09):
Yes, we do.
We have three three daughters.
Yes, my wife is a HarrisonCounty Court judge, was a
prosecutor for 13 years beforethat.
Uh, we have three daughters.
Campbell, the oldest is 16.
Wow.
We'll be 17 soon.
Middle one, Sarah, is eleven,and the youngest is Emma Kate,
and she will be uh nine on the20th.
SPEAKER_06 (16:29):
Let's talk about your hope for their future.
SPEAKER_02 (16:32):
The sky's the limit.
And and one thing that makes mevery proud is that they get to
see how successful their motherhas been.
That lets them know that theycan do anything, that there are
no barriers to what they can do.
And so I'm very proud of her andvery proud of the mother she is
and the example she is to ourgirls.
SPEAKER_06 (16:54):
I think of Proverbs 3, 5 and 6, that when we
acknowledge God and give it allto Him, He really does direct
our paths.
And as a parent, you kind offeel hopeless or helpless after
a time uh period because youcan't make those decisions.
They're the ones that are, butit's an opportunity to change
(17:17):
the world by being a parent andsharing that hope.
I know that you have lots ofhopes for them, and certainly
your church has played a role inmolding their lives.
SPEAKER_02 (17:27):
It it certainly has, and it it's it's always a a
proud parent moment when you seeyour kids make choices to to
follow God, to be leaders and inthe church.
And you know, my my oldestdaughter, she she leads in
worship, she plays manyinstruments the piano, the
cello, the guitar, and manyothers.
SPEAKER_06 (17:46):
Where'd she get that from?
SPEAKER_02 (17:48):
From her mother.
SPEAKER_06 (17:48):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (17:49):
Her mother has the music talent in our in our
family, so definitely not fromme.
I like to sing, but people maynot like to hear, you know.
SPEAKER_06 (17:57):
Well, you are a great leader in our state and
just a godly band.
And I thank you for sharing withus just a little bit the
challenge to Mississippians.
Be all that God would have youto be, and there'll be hope,
right?
SPEAKER_02 (18:11):
Right.
And you know, I loveMississippi, and and we
sometimes get a a a, I think,wrongful, bad rap with in the
rest of the country.
But people can be anything anddo anything they want to be in
Mississippi, and Mississippi'son the rise, I believe.
There's no place I'd rather be.
SPEAKER_06 (18:27):
Same here.
Go, Mississippi.
And if you're listening, go, go,go and make a difference in our
state.
Be that hope you want to see inour world.
Thank you, Ian.
SPEAKER_02 (18:38):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_04 (18:39):
Mississippi is your salvation.
SPEAKER_06 (18:45):
Hillary, what a fun time we have had here at the
Mississippi Bar Convention.
SPEAKER_01 (18:51):
You know everybody.
Everybody here.
It's amazing.
I have never met more judges,more incredible attorneys.
Just everybody who's anybody inMississippian law is here.
SPEAKER_06 (19:04):
Well, you know, it it has been fun to reminisce.
And um, you're sweet to saythat.
I I don't necessarily agree withthat, but it is it has been
wonderful to get reacquaintedwith folks, former presidents of
the bar who have led the way.
And I hope that when peoplelisten to this, that they take
(19:25):
away from it that one, we havean incredible justice system in
Mississippi, and that by andlarge, the vast majority of
people are just committed todoing the right thing.
SPEAKER_01 (19:39):
It's definitely a very, very much a community,
people helping people.
I have been licensed in a coupleother states and been to bar
conventions.
This is very special, and thisis very different from the
typical.
SPEAKER_06 (19:54):
To our folks that are listening, have faith in the
judicial system and in thesystem of justice.
We also want to encourage youngpeople to become lawyers, make a
difference, locate in a smallcommunity where you will become
a leader in that community.
SPEAKER_01 (20:13):
That's very important.
There is a shortage of lawyers.
And in my home state, I don'tknow what the statistic is, we
will look it up.
But in my home state ofCalifornia, 82% of people go
through the family law processwithout counsel.
I can't imagine that.
SPEAKER_06 (20:29):
Well, we all need somebody to believe in us and to
advocate for us.
And so it's really an honor forlawyers to represent you and to
help you through difficulttimes.
And I can't tell you how fun itis to see clients five, 10,
well, maybe 20 or 30 yearslater, and they say, You changed
(20:51):
my life.
You helped me through adifficult time.
Thank you.
And and that's so rewarding as alawyer.
SPEAKER_01 (20:58):
I have a question for the questioner.
How do you feel afterinterviewing 20 people at the
state bar convention?
And how has that forwarded yourmission for Hope, Mississippi?
SPEAKER_06 (21:09):
Wow.
Well, number one, I'm leavinghere with a lot of hope.
A lot of hope that we have greatpeople in Mississippi that are
determined to make a difference.
I also see a challenge fromleadership standpoint.
One thing we need to continue tofight, fight, fight for our
children and families and foreducation and mental health and
(21:32):
so many areas that are in needof leadership.
And so I certainly don't intendto back down, but to continue to
work hard.
And then three, in particular, Iwas approached by the president
of the bar that said, we havegot to do something about
getting lawyers in rural areas.
(21:54):
And so I look forward to gettingback home and getting all of my
efforts behind helping thelegislature, local communities,
the bar, the Supreme Court.
I've talked to the Chief Justicehere, and it's just imperative
that we have lawyers across thestate.
You shouldn't have to go to thelargest city to find somebody to
(22:19):
do a will or basic legal things.
In addition, lawyers are thebackbone of the community, and
we need your leadership.
If you're thinking about goingto law, consider going to a
small community.
I promise you, I recentlyestablished a law firm in a
(22:40):
small community, and mycommunity has embraced me, and
it's been so rewarding.
SPEAKER_01 (22:47):
Amazing.
So I am again very honored to beable to walk through this
process with you.
And I think just the fact thatyou are here at the State Bar
Convention, you are the firstperson to have a live podcast
booth going on.
Everyone is fascinated by whatyou're doing.
And I know that just by beinghere and talking to so many
(23:10):
different people from so manyareas of law and so many levels
or so many parts of their careerthat you have indeed brought
hope to Mississippi.
And I look forward to another 25episodes before December.
SPEAKER_06 (23:25):
Absolutely.
You know, Hillary, we all haveour gifts, and you have just
been fabulous in helping me withthis.
And I could not have done itwithout you.
I typed my notes on a typewriterwhen I was in law school.
I have a limited technology.
But if you're out there and youhave a dream, there are people
like Hillary that can help makethat dream come true.
(23:46):
So keep pushing, keep fighting,keep doing all you can to spread
hope across Mississippi.
Amen.
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