2020 STATE BAR AWARDS
Even in retirement, Lee continues her passion for giving back with pro bono By Joe Menden
that there are many ways to do pro bono work, and that MLSA has many ways Whitefish lawyer Kay Lynn Lee kept that make it easy to lend your expertise. an Emeritus license when she retired “Everybody should try to do it befrom active practice last September cause there is so much need in Montana so she could continue to do pro bono and it needs to be addressed,” Lee said. work. She didn’t want her brain to go Ironically, Lee, a former partner at stale, she said. Henning, Keedy and Lee whose practice Based on the volume of volunteer was mostly in bankruptcy, real estate work Lee continues to do in retirement, and workers’ comp law, always insisted there seems to be very little risk of that she would never do family law work. happening to the Whitefish lawyer. Nobody wins in family law, she said, Lee’s contributions to those in need and when you throw kids in the middle, have been wide ranging and extensive, things can turn ugly in a hurry. When according to Allison Paul, executive she started taking the cases por bono, director of Montana Legal Services though, she was surprised to find out Association. Lee has answered a whophow satisfying the work can be – largely ping 40% of the 425 questions posted on due to the collegiality of Montana’s famMLSA’s Ask Karla online advice platily law bar. form. She also volunteers multiple hours “Family law people all know each Kay Lynn Lee is the State Bar of per month to MLSA’s phone advice other, even if we haven’t faced each program, and she recruits and manages Montana’s 2020 Neil Haight Pro other,” she said. “Family law colleagues Bono Award winner. attorneys to participate in Kalispell’s for the most part get things done, and quarterly family law pro bono clinics. get things resolved in a fair and reasonShe also recently became a mentor to able fashion.” Pro Bono Award because of those one of MLSA’s less experienced volunPro bono work is not the only way contributions and many others. She teer family law attorneys, Paul said. accepted the award at the Bar’s first ever Lee keeps busy in retirement. It also But even more impressive than the is not the only way she contributes Virtual Annual Meeting in September. volume of pro bono work Lee does is the Lee is a longtime member of the bar’s to equal justice in Montana. A talway she conducts herself in handling the Justice Initiatives Committee, and in ented painter, she has donated original work, according to Paul. artwork to the Art for Justice silent that capacity, she usually is part of the “She handles trauma-informed group that decides who receives the Pro auction to benefit the Montana Justice lawyering with compassion and ease, Foundation that the State Bar has held Bono Award. She said she was in utter led by her responsiveness, intuition and shock to find out that she was this year’s in conjunction with the past several generosity,” Paul said. “We are beyond years in conjunction with the Annual recipient. thankful for all of Kay Lynn Lee’s ser“It’s nice to be recognized,” she said. Meeting. vices to MLSA, and we cannot think of “I tell people I have 27 hobbies,” she “It’s nice to be liked. Sometimes we as anyone more deserving of this pro bono lawyers just aren’t appreciated. I’m very said. “I really do like to keep my mind award.” happy that they (MLSA) are happy with busy.” Lee was named the 2020 winner of me.” the State Bar of Montana’s Neil Haight Lee wants other attorneys to know
We are beyond thankful for all of Kay Lynn Lee’s services to MLSA, and we cannot think of anyone more deserving of this pro bono award. Allison Paul, executive director, Montana Legal Services Association
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MONTANALAWYER
STATE BAR OF MONTANA
