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Jonathan Stemerman Remarks: Randy J. Holland Celebration of Life
Hi, my name is Jonathan Stemerman, and I clerked for Justice Holland during the 2003 to 2004 term. One of the biggest impacts that Justice Holland had on my life was the emphasis of the importance of family, and that no matter how busy you get to make time for your family. That’s something that I know Justice Holland did every day, and it is something that I strive to do.
Note: The law clerk remarks were limited in time due to the number of clerks.
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Kevin McKenna Remarks: Randy J. Holland Celebration of Life
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.
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Abby Adams Remarks: Randy J. Holland Celebration of Life
Hi, Abby Adams. I clerked for Justice Holland in 1997. My favorite memories of Justice Holland are having lunch with him here at Smith’s over grilled cheese and black coffee. I miss those lunches. I will miss those lunches. I always look forward to getting the email about having lunch and dropping everything and coming over here.
How has my life been impacted by Justice Holland? He set the bar. My clerkship set the bar for my career. He set the bar for what it is to be an attorney or what it is to be a judge, what it is to be a good person who cares about people.
He believed in me. I’m sure as all of this clerks. He felt I could do anything I wanted and with the confidence of someone like that, I went out in the world and tried my best and always tried to make him proud.
Note: The law clerk remarks were limited in time due to the number of clerks.
Tags: abby adams, believe, caring, clerks, coffee, confidence, good person, grilled cheese, lunch, mentor, proud, role model, smiths, try -
Matt Quigley Remarks: Randy J. Holland Celebration of Life
Hi, my name is Matt Quigley, and I clerked for Justice Holland in 1994. I thought Justice Holland was a great role model, both for the legal profession and for being a person in general. He treated everyone with respect and equally, no matter what their stature.
I don’t think I ever heard him raise his voice. I hope some of him rubbed off on me, particularly the part where he was a strong family man, and my condolences to his family, but thank you for letting me spend some time with him.
Note: The law clerk remarks were limited in time due to the number of clerks.
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Gayle Lafferty Remarks: Randy J. Holland Celebration of Life
My name is Gail Lafferty, and I clerked for Justice Holland in 1991 and 1992. One thing that I loved about Justice Holland was the way that he would say my name whenever he would see me or we talked on the phone. It didn’t matter if it had been a few months or a few days. He always sounded utterly surprised and delighted to be talking to me.
He had such a gift of making anyone he was talking to feel as if they were the most important person in the room. He just gave everybody his full and undivided attention and it made you feel so special. I am so grateful to have had such a wonderful mentor and friend, and I will miss him very much.
Note: The law clerk remarks were limited in time due to the number of clerks.
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Eric Juray Remarks: Randy J. Holland Celebration of Life
Hi, I’m Eric Juray. I clerked for Justice Holland in 2012 and 2013. Right before Justice Holland passed, he sent me some of his special occasion ties. I’m wearing the Snoopy litigation tie today that he left me. I have a lot of special memories of Justice Holland, but one that I keep coming back to is the last time I saw him in person, which was the summer of 2019.
I took a family vacation to Rehoboth, and the only time that we could actually meet up was a crazy summer storm in Rehoboth. But the kind, generous person he was, he still came out in a monsoon to meet my dad for the first time and my children. And it’s a memory I’ll cherish forever.
Note: The law clerk remarks were limited in time due to the number of clerks.
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Kris Pritchett Remarks: Randy J. Holland Celebration of Life
Good afternoon. My name is Kris and I was Justice Holland’s secretary for almost 40 years. My memories of Justice Holland will always be the kindness and compassion he showed his clients as an attorney and to the people he worked with as a justice. The love of his family always came first and foremost. My favorite memory is when people would ask me if I read all of his books and I would reply, “No, I just type them”. Justice Holland would always laugh.
Justice Holland. You will always be missed. And forever in my heart. In the hearts of my family.
Ethan note: Mrs. Pritchett is at the top of the list of people other than family who could have spoken at my dad’s celebration of life. She witnessed and supported more of my dad’s career than anyone. She is humble (it must be contagious) and made a smart move to avoid the emotional roller coaster of speaking at length. Instead she included these short remarks along with the clerk videos. She played an incredibly important role in my dad’s life and in mine and my mom’s… and everyone who knew my dad professionally. It’s impossible to overstate her ~40 years (!) of support and dedication.
Categories: Celebration of LifeTags: attorney, books, clients, compassion, Family, joke, kindness, kris pritchett, memory, secretary -
Paula Ryan Remarks: Randy J. Holland Celebration of Life
Memories of Justice Holland and wonderful and numerous because he’s been such an important part of my life for nearly 30 years. But at the same time, it feels like I don’t have enough memories, far too few, to demonstrate his significance to me and to so many others. He’s been a part of every personal and professional milestone, achievement and moment in my life and career since I met him.
And yet it is our relatively insignificant interactions that I will miss most. Our many meals and lunches together. Him driving to pick me up, to take me to work when there was a foot of snow on the ground. when I was his law clerk. My complete inability to say no to him whenever he asked me to do anything like join a committee or a board or some other organization. Our dramatic productions for the Inns of Court, which were all him, as I’m sure you can guess.
Sending him an email to tell him he left something on the roof of his car, which I could see from the third floor window of Family Court. Justice Holland had a way of making you feel valued like you had something worth contributing. Even though he was a brilliant and accomplished jurist, teacher and writer, renowned and respected nationally and internationally.
He was always humble, unassuming and down to earth, and he always had time to talk, if you needed his advice, which I needed a lot. I would not be where I am today without his influence., gentle guidance, humor and encouragement. Quite simply, he’s the best person I’ve ever known. Over the years, he was my boss, my mentor, the standard by which I measured most of my personal and professional decisions and choices.
Note: The law clerk remarks were limited in time due to the number of clerks.
Tags: car, email, family court, guidance, humble, humility, humor, inns of court, lunches, memories, mentor, paula ryan -
Jackie Mette Remarks: Randy J. Holland Celebration of Life
My name is Jackie Paradee Metta. I was honored to be the fifth Judicial law clerk to Justice Randy J. Holland from 1990 to ’91. During that year, Justice Holland wrote the Claudio and Maymi opinion on behalf of an en banc court explaining the significance of Delaware’s constitutional provision on jury trials as distinguished from its federal counterpart, that trial by jury shall be as heretofore. Justice Holland demonstrated a commitment to excellence in the scholarly opinion that would be a hallmark of his opinions to come and the many books that he wrote on constitutional history. He taught the importance of diligence, thoroughness and thoughtful analysis. He exemplified, but never preached a strong work ethic and mutual regard for people. I will miss his friendship and his mentorship. Thank you.
Note: The law clerk remarks were limited in time due to the number of clerks.
Tags: claudio, en banc, friendship, jackie mette, jury trial, maymi, mentorship, opinions, state, state constitution, work ethic
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Justice Randy J. Holland Memorial 