Don Morgan: Taking on Real World Challenges for Employment and Education Clients

Don Morgan has always been interested in solving problems, whether it’s a thorny legal issue or a mysterious noise in a car engine. A longtime leader of the Central Kentucky Region Sports Car Club of America, Don continues his interest in sports cars. But he sold his racing machine to pursue the legal profession he’d always wanted, where he could use his ability to quickly assess issues and help find solutions.

“What I really like about being an attorney is that there’s always something new, something changing, and it’s always a challenge to find the answers. You’re constantly engaged – you always have to be thinking, and you’re always being challenged to find the best solution or argument for your client. There’s never a dull day.”

“One thing that makes people good lawyers is that sometimes we have to have difficult discussions. But at the end of the day, I want my clients to remember that I’m here to help you, and what I’m working toward is the best result for you and your organization.” — Don Morgan

One thing he learned once he started practicing law was that it is about so much more than just the law. “In law school, it’s all about ‘Here’s the problem – solve the problem.’ But when you get in the real world, you need to solve the problem while taking into consideration things outside the closed universe of ‘what is the law?’ and ‘what are your facts?’ There are other personalities, considerations, and implications to the advice you give, which makes it more complicated, more interesting, and more of a challenge to work through.”

Don’s practice focuses on employment law, much of it in the education field, where he works with in-house counsel, human resource professionals, business owners and other clients to manage and respond to employee issues.

“Education law is particularly interesting, because it’s always changing and evolving, and it’s important to be able to understand each issue and see what can be done differently. Especially today, with changing government administrations, I think we’ll see a lot of changes. It’s up to us to ensure our education clients have the information they need to keep up with those changes so they can best meet the complex needs of students, faculty and staff, as well as their communities.”

He particularly enjoys working with his in-house counsel colleagues on intricate matters, since as fellow attorneys, they are engaged in the legal process and understand the details of what’s happening. “It’s very helpful when I’m talking through strategic decisions with clients – to sort through the facts, see what might be done differently, and figure out what we should do, or what we need to avoid doing. We’re fortunate to work with a great number of clients, both in the education sector and private business, who are involved and interested in the legal process.”

An active member of the bar and his community, Don served on the board of the Central Kentucky Region Sports Car Club of America, and belongs to the Rotaract Club of Lexington, where he most recently served on the Executive Committee as Professional Development Chair.

Don appreciates his clients’ trust in him, and always ensures they know he’s here to help reach the best outcome. “I’m always going to tell you what you need to hear. One thing that makes people good lawyers is that sometimes we have to have difficult discussions. But at the end of the day, I want my clients to remember that I’m here to help you, and what I’m working toward is the best result for you and your organization.”