Welcome to HH&K’s “Meet Your Lawyer: Summer Associate Edition” — a special blog series that offers a closer look at the people behind our 122-year-old firm. In this edition, we’re proud to introduce the newest members of our team as they begin their journey as summer associates, carrying forward Hinman, Howard & Kattell’s enduring motto: Peace of mind since 1901. Meet Kir Readnower!
Kir Readnower is a 2025 Summer Associate at Hinman, Howard & Kattell. She attends Cornell Law School and has been a wonderful addition to the team!
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Kir, Thank you for participating in this Meet the Lawyer – Summer Associate Edition. As we get closer to the end of summer, can you share with us what was the most exciting part of your summer at HH&K?
My summer here at HH&K has been exciting because I’ve gotten to witness talented lawyers in action, giving me models to emulate as I grow into a practicing lawyer myself.
What was your college mascot?
I was a transfer-happy undergraduate, so I have several: Swoop (a red-tailed hawk); another Swoop (an eagle) and Dooley (a skeleton); and the Quaker (self-explanatory).
What book are you currently reading? Or podcast you are listening to?
I’m currently reading Cement by Fyodor Gladkov and slogging through Drei Männer im Schnee by Erich Kästner. I have a hard time reading solely as a leisure activity, so I usually choose books that are at least somewhat instructive.
What is your favorite musical group / singer?
I never outgrew my high school music tastes, so I still listen to weird screamo music that hasn’t been cool since 2012. My favorite group is Asking Alexandria.
What is the best concert you have ever seen live?
Green Day at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Billie Joe Armstrong emphatically demanded that everyone put away their phones and enjoy the experience, so for a moment it felt like I had stepped back in time, and everyone was just there to appreciate the music.
If you could live somewhere for a year, where would you go and why?
I would go back to Paris. I’m a prolific home cook and would love to spend a year apprenticing at pâtisseries, boulangeries, vignobles and fromageries. Despite my shoddy French and palpable Americanness, everyone I met was incredibly warm and patient, which I would be eager to experience again while learning to reproduce what is, in my opinion, the finest cuisine in the world.
What teacher or coach made the biggest impact on you and why?
My high school German teacher, Herr Dodge, was a very influential figure in my life. I’m from a working class family and my parents weren’t able to contribute any money towards college, so I figured I would simply not be able to go unless I could save enough to pay my own way later in life. Herr Dodge was insistent that I shouldn’t resign myself to this, and eventually we found out through mutual research that some universities meet students’ full financial need entirely through grants. Thanks to his encouragement, I was able to earn my bachelor’s degree with no debt and without having to shell out a penny towards tuition. Sadly, the same is definitely not true for law school!
If you could witness any event of the past, present or future, what would it be?
I would like to witness the premiere performance of The Rite of Spring in 1913 to see for myself whether it really incited a riot among the audience.
What is a new skill that you would like to learn or are currently trying to learn?
I’m currently learning how to identify and forage for mushrooms. I found what I am almost certain are puffballs recently, but I ultimately chickened out of eating them for fear of poisoning myself with a lookalike.
What’s something you’ve done that took you completely out of your comfort zone? Do you regret it?
Participating in the summer program here at HH&K was completely out of my comfort zone. I didn’t know what to expect and was very nervous about whether I would be able to produce work at the expected caliber and mesh well with the group. I can now confidently say that I haven’t regretted a single second. I have learned so much in such a short time and feel very fortunate to be here. It wasn’t so scary after all!
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I would have okonomiyaki, Japanese cabbage pancakes. I like mine with octopus and beni shouga (plum brine-pickled ginger) added to the batter.
What’s your go-to productivity tip — or guilty distraction?
I am prone to turning on an episode of a Real Housewives franchise when I am hitting a wall. The mindless entertainment lets my brain cool off, I can indulge in a little schadenfreude when terrible castmates get their comeuppance, and the wine-fueled fracases are just plain fun to watch.
If you were not planning to be an attorney, what would your job be?
I studied philosophy, so I would probably be unemployed.
What is your dream car?
I know very little about cars, much to the chagrin of my dad, who is a lifelong mechanic. He said my answer should be a Ferrari F40.
What is your favorite quote and why?
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” -FDR. I like this quote because even though I am a bit of a fraidy cat in everyday life, I can exhibit this kind of courage when the circumstances call for it.
Do you have any pets? What kind of review would your pet leave you if they were asked to rate you as a human?
I don’t own any pets myself, but I live vicariously through my sister, who has a horde of cats. Since I am their “Cool Aunt,” they would likely praise my liberality with treats and my untiring willingness to play with them.
What made you decide you want to be an attorney?
I’ve always been interested in politics and social justice movements. I felt impotent just protesting and voting, so I decided to go to law school. Learning the law has been empowering and will enable me to make much more of a difference over the course of my life than I could have otherwise.
If you could write a law to make the world better, what would it be?
I would write a law guaranteeing a free college education for anyone in proximity to the poverty line. Higher education is obviously a major vehicle of class mobility, yet it remains unattainable for so many people.
If you had to turn your career path into a board game, what’s one rule or challenge on it?
No eliminations and no losers. Every setback or failure just means you’ll take a different path to the end goal