Good afternoon. My name is Kevin McKenna, and I was Justice Holland’s first law clerk in 1986. He inherited me from Justice McNeilly. Years later, I would tease Justice Holland that I showed him the ropes on the job that I would always outrank him by way of seniority. To which he would reply with a grin, “I would have hired you anyway.”

Justice Holland taught me so many things that have impacted my life, and you can not list them all. However, two traits stand out: First, at trial a litigator should always keep one eye on appeal, because it preserves the issue and also makes you a better trial attorney. Second, the attributes of a gentleman.

In everyday life, I strive to be like Justice Holland the gentleman, one who’s humble, giving rooted faith and family. A servant to the community one who neither looks up to the rich or down on the poor and has a keen sense of humor. And as for Justice Holland’s sense humor, when I clerked for him he had three favorite pro sports teams, the Yankees, Celtics and Cowboys, which were my least favorite sports teams given I was raised in the Philadelphia suburbs. So as parting gifts, Justice Holland, Mrs. Holland and Ethan gave me a shirt, a hat, and a banner, you guessed it: the Yankees, Celtics and Cowboys. Justice Holland, thank you. You’re dear to our hearts and forever etched smiling in our memories.

Note: The law clerk remarks were limited in time due to the number of clerks.