Supporting Non-traditional Students in a Million Ways

Christopher A.H. Steadman, Esq. ’99  became a lawyer later in life and he is hoping his namesake scholarship can  help others do the same.

Through a tremendously generous $1 million gift, the new Christopher A. H. Steadman ’99 Scholarship will provide full tuition to an Albany Law School student who has given back to the community. The renewable scholarship will be awarded annually to, primarily, student(s) with a record of service as a volunteer or on-call firefighter, volunteer or on-call emergency medical services provider, or a non-traditional student with preference to those currently or formerly in the building trades and wishing to pursue a second career.

“When you are 23 years old and you’re taking out student loans and the only one you have to answer to is you, that’s one thing. But when you are an older student and you’ve got a family, responsibilities, debts and you want to take this on, it’s daunting,” he said. “I hope this may provide an opportunity to someone who is in the same place I was, thinking they would like to be a lawyer, and, now they have an opportunity “

Steadman credits a few moments in his life with the inspiration for a legal career. In high school, he did well in a legal basics course, but never thought about it as a career at the time. At 32, he ran for town justice against a longtime incumbent with three decades of experience as justice of the peace but no other formal legal training. Steadman didn’t win the race, but he did better than expected.

But what finally made him take the step came while building a handicap access ramp at the Rensselaer County Court-house. As he worked, he recalled court staff, lawyers, and, at least one judge complimenting his work and some said, they’d rather be doing what Steadman was doing. As he labored away outside, he thought the opposite—a job like theirs would  
be ideal.

Carpentry and construction work take a physical toll which, though only in his mid-30’s, Steadman was starting to feel. This in turn made him wonder how he was going to provide for his family at 50.

He decided it was time to pursue the idea dormant in his mind. He went home to tell his wife he wanted to be a lawyer. First, though, there was the hurdle of an unfinished undergraduate degree and about three semesters of credits. With the ultimate desire to go to law school he en-rolled at SUNY Empire State College and completed his undergraduate course work three days before starting at Albany Law.

With an established life in New Lebanon, in Columbia County, Albany Law was the natural choice. Albany Law was welcoming right away he said, especially as a non-traditional student.

The academic rigor of law school was difficult, he said, and considerably harder than the work he had just recently been doing to get his Bachelor’s degree,  particularly the first semester as a 1L,  But his mentors, friends, and family helped him through.

“I want other people to know that you’re not alone. It’s really tough, and I would say to take some solace in that. I would also say to keep your eye on the prize. I realized at some point that I had been looking for some academic validation to prove that I could achieve and I could get good grades. But the purpose of going to law school was to become a lawyer and to get out there and practice,” he said. “In my third year, I kept thinking OK, you’re going to do this, you’re going to be a lawyer.”

Upon graduation in 1999 and passing the bar in 2000, Steadman worked at the Albany firm of Stockton, Barker & Mead where he had begun clerking in his 3L year; then moved to Buckley, Mendleson, and Crisone, until going out on his own for a brief while. Other, non-legal business interests took him to New Hampshire where he currently resides. Although he checked the “retired box” on his last biennial reporting cycle, he continues to find his Albany Law education and practice experience invaluable. Sitting on four not-for- profit boards and being a member of two fire departments, there is always a legal question. “The only difference between  being retired or not is the ability to collect a fee, and I haven’t asked for one in some time,” he said.

Over the years, Steadman picked up another service-minded role, but with  a bit more urgency—firefighting.

A year after moving to New Lebanon,  he joined the Lebanon Valley Protective Association (LVPA) and found a second home in the volunteer fire service. Not only is it central to the town, it is a great way to meet neighbors and provide a  crucial service to his community. The LVPA at the time of his joining and for many years operated an ambulance and  in addition to firefighting he rode on the ambulance crew until his wife, who was eight months pregnant, requested a  curtailment of civic involvement.

Upon moving to New Hampshire, he joined the Winchester Fire Department, and now has nearly 40 years of firefighting service. He has remained a member of the LVPA as they keep a second home in New Lebanon, responding when he can.

“I found I really loved the fire service. In fact, had I known how much it may very well have been the career path I took out of high school. However, being a volunteer or on call firefighter allows you the ability to have another career, but still serve. Unfortunately, just like that ramp in Troy 30 years ago, nothing lasts forever and the day is coming where physically  I will have to slow down even more than I have. You age out of any profession eventually. The question is what will you leave behind.”

Whether helping a client or helping someone during an emergency, Steadman says helping people is rewarding in its own right. Now, he hopes that he can pay it forward.

“It is hoped this scholarship will help the next generation, that someone working in the emergency services or trades aspiring to be a lawyer will get that opportunity. You don’t know where a law degree is going to take you.

It can put you in a position to help a lot of people in a meaningful way; or, maybe just one person in a very meaningful way,” he said. “One of my law school professors was fond of the saying, ‘To whom much is given much is expected.’ I am very fortunate and have been given much. I hope this scholarship helps to balance the scales.”