Q. In what area of law do you practice and why did you choose this?
Josh Hodges: Personal Injury. I’m competitive. I like helping my clients, and I like to win. I only get paid if I win.
Scott Kruger: I practice criminal defense. I really have a passion for the 4th Amendment. That’s what we’re doing most of the time, defending the Constitution. Making sure our clients rights aren’t violated, then providing them with the support and legal advice they need.
Q. What did you want to be when you grew up?
Josh: In the back of my mind, I always kind of wanted to be a lawyer. Just growing up and watching TV shows I always thought this was what I wanted to do. Then when I was 19 or 20 I got selected for jury duty and saw two lawyers go to trial– I saw that and thought I could do it.
Scott: I bounced around a bit in undergrad. At first I thought about marketing and business, then I switched to criminology. So I was thinking about being an FBI or CIA agent. But because of my contacts back here where I grew I went down another route.
Q. What would you be doing if you weren’t a lawyer?
Josh: I’m all in on being a lawyer. But if I had to pick something else, I would pick to be a teacher in high school or college.
Q. What do you like best about practicing law?
Josh: I like being able to right a wrong. Our clients are usually just everyday folks who are going against giant companies, who have a lot of power. And they know they have a lot of power, so they try to take advantage of other people. We try to stop that and turn the tables on them a little bit.
Scott: It might sound cliche, but I do like the human interaction it allows. I also like being a source of comfort for my clients. I think my personality and perspective on life enables me to be a calming force for my clients. I can help them realize that they have help, I know what I’m doing– that’s something I can provide and I enjoy it.
Q. What is the best career advice you have received?
Josh: You’ve got to believe in yourself. If you don’t then it’s already over.
Scott: Preparation is everything. When you do it long enough, you can do it on the fly, but I would never advise it. You need to know your case. Know your client, know your witnesses, know the people involved. It boils down to hard work and being prepared.
Q. Why open a law office in Hamilton?
Josh: This is where I’m from. I’ve lived here my whole life. I worked at a bigger firm in a bigger town and they always said that if I wanted to start a firm you needed to have it in Cincinnati or Dayton. So I guess I was competitive and wanted to prove them wrong. Plus, I care about people here. Hamilton is having a resurgence and I’m glad to be a part of that.
Scott: We owed it to our city. We were born and raised here, so I felt a kind of responsibility to provide the best legal service that I could for my hometown.
Q. What do you enjoy most about Hamilton?
Josh: I think it has a good energy. I think people are proud to be from here. One time I was working away from Hamilton and a person came up and asked where I was from. To which I said “Hamilton.” He laughed and commented on how whenever someone says they’re from Hamilton, they say it with a little more spunk. Maybe it’s because we used to have an exclamation point in our name. But people from here are resilient. We are starting to build a future in Hamilton, and people from outside of the city are starting to take notice.
Scott: I have family ties here. I have lots of friends and lots of family that reside here. Plus, Hamilton is having a renaissance, so that’s exciting. I enjoy watching the city progress and I’m happy to be a part of it.
Q. Who is your hero?
Josh: Muhammed Ali. He was obviously great at what he did as a boxer. He had a lot of confidence to push forward with things where people thought he was crazy but he did it anyways. He stood up for what he believed in politically. He lost a lot for standing up for things he didn’t have to. He was someone that would’ve been great at anything.
Scott: Two people. My mom is first. She is the most genuine person I know. She loves just about everybody she comes in contact with. She remembers everyone she has ever taught, and I find that inspiring. Secondly, my younger brother Stephen. He is the most loyal person I know and he is so hard working.
Q. What is your strongest asset?
Josh: I think I’m good at thinking ahead of where most people are thinking. I’m not just thinking about what’s on the paper in front of me. I’m thinking about six months ahead or six year. I’m good at seeing the big picture.
Scott: Honesty. Sometimes I think it’s easy to provide false hope, because everyone wants good news. I’ve found over the years that clients appreciate someone who is going to give them an honest and fair assessment of their case.