A Conversation With ... Kristi Fulnecky

Job title: Attorney, owner and founder

Education: Juris doctorate, Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington

Why she devotes time to Native American gaming issues: Fulnecky is a registered member of the Comanche tribe of Oklahoma

When did you start your firm, and what types of cases do you handle?

I started the practice in December 2007. It’s a general law practice. I handle real estate, traffic and family law cases. The biggest challenge (to starting the practice) has probably been not going to law school in Missouri, because you obtain a lot of connections that way.

Prior to coming to Springfield, you practiced law in Washington, D.C. What was your practice like there?

I was practicing Native American law and casino gaming law. I worked with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and my whole practice was centered on (that) federal statute. We would assist Indian tribes with their gaming work, and also assist them with reclaiming some of their land. … I’m (working) to pick up more of the Indian work.

Why is working with Native American issues important to you?

I’m a registered member of the Comanche tribe of Oklahoma. On their rolls, I’m a fourth-degree blood, and to be a registered member, you have to be one-eighth, so my children are also registered members. There are very few attorneys that are actually Indian, (and) Indian gaming industry is so huge, there’s quite a need for legal work.

Why did you take off 3K years between coming to Springfield and starting Fulnecky Law?

I knew my license wouldn’t transfer (and) I couldn’t practice per se, but I was still working for an attorney in D.C. when I moved to Missouri. I also had two children during that time. … In the interim, I got involved in the community. I was on the board of directors for the Springfield Ballet, and I wrote a business plan for the ballet. Now I’m the youngest member of the board of directors for the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. … I cofounded and am the chairwoman of the group Crescendo, the young patrons of the Springfield Symphony. I was on the American Heart Association’s Heart Ball committee this year (which) raised more than $170,000.

Was it difficult to gain licensure in Missouri?

I had to hire two nannies, and it was very different from when I took (the bar exam) the first time, obviously, because I have three toddlers. There’s a national portion and a state portion (of the bar exam), and I actually had to take both of them. ... It’s basically a full-time job studying for the bar exam, so I studied for about four months (and) took the bar exam this past summer.

Tell us about your career prior to private practice.

I originally went to D.C. to work on Capitol Hill. I did an internship with Sen. (Kit) Bond on the small-business committee, and then I worked for Mel Hancock. Also, (I worked) with the Department of Interior in the Solicitor’s Office, doing Indian affairs. … Before that, I worked with defense contractors … mainly on Navy contracts. One of my most interesting jobs was as a technical writer for the Navy. I would write a newsletter coming from the Office of Naval Research about the science and technology in the Navy and how that would translate into the fleet. I was doing that during the day, and then I started law school at night … at American University-Washington College of Law.

Did you have aspirations to enter the legal field when you went to Capitol Hill?

Not really. I went to undergrad school at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and received my (bachelor’s degree) in political science with a minor in biology. I was premed until my last year. I went out and did an internship, and the political life gets in your bloodstream.

Tell us more about your family.

I’m originally from Springfield. My husband, Eric, is from the Washington, D.C., area. He was in medical school, and he matched to Indianapolis, Indiana, so I transferred law schools and we moved to Indianapolis. Eric is an infectious disease specialist at St. John’s. We have three girls: Veronica, 4; Samantha, 3; and Abigail, 2, next month.

What sorts of activities do you enjoy?

I’m doing business plans for two businesses that I’m starting on the side. ... Other people will be running them, but I can’t really say (what they are) yet. …

I read Donald Trump books. I’m a big Trump fan, and I’ve learned a lot … through his books and his online university.

Interview by Features Editor Maria Hoover. You can e-mail her with suggestions for future installments of this feature at mhoover@sbj.net.[[In-content Ad]]