When Kendra Rash took a job developing pictures at Walgreens in the early 2000s, she had no idea that the work would lead to a decades-long law career. One day, a frequent customer encouraged Rash to apply to a receptionist opening in the firm across from her office. “I kind of blew her off, but she kept bothering me,” Rash, the executive assistant to Dan Smolen, recalled. “I filled out the application just to get her off my back.” To this day, Rash remains grateful for the nudge that set her on a new path.
Learning the Law on the Fly
A year into her role at the law firm, a former colleague called about a receptionist position at Smolen & Roytman. A literal ground-floor employee, Rash joined the firm as one of its first several hires. “I like to tease that I was the warm body, so when Dan needed an assistant, he picked me,” laughs Rash. “I didn’t know a lot of the procedural stuff, like how to file cases, but we just figured it out as we went.” Rash recalls leveraging Ask Jeeves, one of the earliest internet search engines, to help decipher legalese.
Today, 20 years on, Rash keeps Smolen & Roytman running smoothly, freeing attorneys up to focus on their cases. Her all-encompassing role includes managing client intake for civil rights and medical malpractice issues.
Rash credits her professional chemistry with Smolen as the reason for her lengthy tenure. “I know Dan, and I’m really able to anticipate what he needs,” she says. “We have the same sense of humor, it’s never a dull moment and I wouldn’t want to work for anybody else.”
Roots, Family and Resilience
Growing up in a small town, the Kansas native studied education at Wichita State, but left early so that her husband could join Edward Jones in another city. Within a year, Rash gave birth to her first child, and today, she prides herself on the fact that both of her adult sons are “on the right track.” Her youngest son graduated from the University of Arkansas, and her oldest is thriving. “He is on the autism spectrum, and when he was little, I wasn’t sure that he would be able to live on his own,” she says. “I’m so happy to see how well he’s done—holding a steady job and making mortgage and car payments.”
Perspective in a Demanding Profession
Rash spends most weekends on Grand Lake with extended family, or attending concerts with friends (operas, musicals and live music all make the list). Finding outlets to decompress makes the intense Smolen & Roytman environment—where cases might cover death, paralysis or sexual assault—a little more tolerable. “I grew up sheltered, and I’ve learned a lot about other people in this job,” she says.“Before, I’d have thought that people who were in jail all deserved to be there, but working here opens your mind up to other worlds.”
