Sturgill Turner Summer Associates: Learning and Evolving
Maxwell Walker, Kennedy Klucker, and Katherine Walsh joined Sturgill Turner in May 2026 as summer associates.
Summer is underway, and we’re proud of the work that our summer associates have been doing. Kennedy Klucker, Max Walker, and Katy Walsh are all rising 3L students who joined the firm in May 2026. “We’re excited to have such talented, hard-working colleagues working with us this summer,” said member Carmine Iaccarino, chair of the Sturgill Turner hiring committee. “We appreciate their work and look forward to the great things they’ll contribute to the legal profession.”
“We need to learn the language and practical realities of different industries while still keeping up with a legal landscape that’s constantly evolving.” – Kennedy Klucker
As a history major at Transylvania University, Kennedy Klucker discovered a love for research and writing — skills that translate naturally to legal practice. As the mom of a rambunctious 3-year-old daughter, she’s also ready for whatever the profession throws her way. “Being a mother has strengthened my patience and perspective, and it’s made me an even better listener,” she says. “Those are qualities I’ve leaned on in law school and in my summer experiences.”
Now in her final year at the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law, Kennedy looks forward to advocating for others in the same meaningful way she once witnessed an attorney show up for a client. Seeing the time, preparation and self-sacrifice required to advocate effectively made a lasting impression on her and helped her understand how legal work can directly serve and strengthen the community.
Kennedy hopes to bring that same preparation and attention to detail to her legal career. She values understanding where other people are coming from, listening closely, thinking problems through and approaching challenges thoughtfully. “I’m most looking forward to practicing in a field that blends advocacy, strategic thinking, and working directly with clients, especially in an environment where I can learn from and collaborate with attorneys who are passionate about their work.”
One of the things she finds fascinating about the law is how integrated it is across daily life, from business and government to education and personal matters. Working at Sturgill Turner has shown her how attorneys build expertise across multiple areas. “We need to learn the language and practical realities of different industries while still keeping up with a legal landscape that’s constantly evolving,” she says. “I didn’t fully appreciate that before law school, and it’s been one of the most impressive parts of my learning experience.”
“I love learning what people are passionate about and how they discovered that passion.” – Katy Walsh
After working as a Starbucks barista, filling more than 200 complicated coffee orders per week in over 170,000 possible varieties, Katy Walsh has become an expert at processing lots of information in a short time. And in a profession she says is constantly growing and changing, she’s excited about finding the legal niche where she can put her quick thinking skills into action.
She decided to pursue law as a career after graduating with her degree in English from Transylvania University. “I like learning and I was curious about the research and writing process in a different academic setting,” she says. “I also wanted to work with others to impact my community.”
Now in her final year at William & Mary Law School, Katy has participated in intramural moot court and mock trial competitions, and this year was named Chief Justice of William & Mary’s 2026-2027 Moot Court team. She looks forward to using that experience to litigate her own cases as a practicing attorney.
“It’s fascinating to see how lawyers around me found their niche. I love learning what people are passionate about and how they discovered that passion,” she explains. “And I can't wait to see what the practice of law will look like as it continues to evolve.”
“I love to really burn into a subject, and when something is interesting to me I can just go, go, go.” – Maxwell Walker
As a history and philosophy double major in college, Max Walker developed the broad curiosity that now shapes the way he approaches law. Before law school, he worked as a paralegal and spent weekends as a tour guide, giving him both courtroom exposure and practice connecting with people from different backgrounds.
Now a rising 3L at the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law, Max says he was drawn to the profession because the field itself was so interesting to him. “I have very strong opinions on obtuse legal and regulatory questions ranging from transportation subsidies to land use policy, and I enjoy reading and learning about new fields,” he says. “Having a broad base of knowledge in history also helps.”
One of the most interesting parts of law so far, he says, has been the people he meets along the way. But just as compelling is the way legal rules develop and change over time, including the occasional common law holdover that still appears in modern statutes. He especially enjoys tracing who drove those changes, why they happened and how they continue to shape legal practice today.
Max looks forward to working directly with clients on issues he cares about, bringing with him a passion for digging deeply into complex subjects. He also brings a practical background that spans agriculture, brewing and distilling, and litigation support. His family worked in commodity trading and sold feed for cattle, horses and other livestock, and he has already spent meaningful time in courtrooms as a paralegal. Together, those experiences give him a grounded perspective he hopes will serve clients well.