In his own words: Kenneth Keith Ching

Northern Nevada Business Weekly: Tell us about your company and the duties of your position.

Kenneth Keith Ching: Dickinson Wright is a national law firm with more than 400 lawyers. My practice focuses on employment law and business litigation. Basically, I represent people and businesses in high-stakes disputes.

NNBW: How did you get into this profession?

Ching: My dad was a lawyer and used to make me pretend to be a judge and decide imaginary cases when I was a kid.

NNBW: What do you enjoy most about working in your field?

Ching: My colleagues are excellent lawyers and great people, and I really enjoy working with them to solve complicated problems.

NNBW: What is the most challenging part about your job?

Ching: Uncertainty. Even if a lawyer does everything he possibly can, there are a lot of factors out of your control.

NNBW: What advice would give anyone who wants to get in your profession?

Ching: Spend time in a law office and see what lawyers actually do. Law is a great career, but it’s not like TV.

NNBW: What was the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Ching: My high school English teacher, Tom Meschery, told me I needed to learn grammar and punctuation. It was true, and I use those tools every day of my professional life.

NNBW: What kind of education do you recommend to get into your field?

Ching: Besides law school, you have to learn to write well.

NNBW: Is there one thing that you learned over your career that’s become vitally important in your job?

Ching: You can figure out almost anything if you’ll put in the time and effort.

NNBW: What was your first job?

Ching: Dishwasher at Godfather’s Pizza.

NNBW: What are your hobbies? How do you spend your time away from work?

Ching: I write creatively, and I have a book coming out this year.

NNBW: Do you have a favorite vacation spot?

Ching: Nebraska. I know that doesn’t sound like a vacation spot, but it’s where I spend time with family and friends.

NNBW: Is there a place around the world where you’ve never been that you would like to visit?

Ching: The Great Wall of China.

NNBW: Is there anything in your life that you wish you could do over again? Why?

Ching: High school. I pretty much wasted four years of my life.

NNBW: If you had one moment in time to cherish for the rest of your life either professionally or personally what would it be and why?

Ching: The birth of my children.

NNBW: Last concert or sporting event attended?

Ching: Reno Bighorns game.

NNBW: What did you dream of becoming as a kid?

Ching: A Jedi. A professional basketball player. A writer. A lawyer. Some of those dreams even came true.

NNBW: Why did you choose a career in northern Nevada? What do you like about living/working here?

Ching: I was born and raised here, so I love feeling like I’m contributing to my hometown. And having lived in a few other places, I’ve realized that Reno has a great community of people, the geography is beautiful, and the economic and cultural future is bright.

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