NCLW Leaders in the Law: Lee Hogewood III, Managing Partner K&L Gates 

Lee Hogewood III, Managing Partner K&L Gates 

Raleigh 

Thirty-three years into his career, Lee Hogewood can’t think of many days he hasn’t woken up excited about going to work.  

The managing partner at K&L Gates’ Raleigh office, Hogewood focuses on bankruptcy and restructuring. He attributes his joy of practicing to Joe Kluttz, the bankruptcy partner in the Charlotte office of Kennedy Covington, where he worked during the summers after his first and second year in law school. 

“Joe is brilliant, creative, and super fun to work with,” Hogewood says. “The subject matter was complex and allowed a great mix of both litigation and transactional work.” 

Hogewood received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College, graduating cum laude with a concentration in government. He earned his law degree from Wake Forest University, again graduating cum laude, and was the managing editor of the Wake Forest Law Review.

Growing up: I grew up in Charlotte. In 6th grade, I pitched in the final inning of a Little League baseball game where I had to walk my two best friends to load the bases with one out. I then struck out the next batter for the second out. The next batter rolled a grounder to third and we got the force out at home. We scored in the bottom of the inning to win 25-24. I think the game lasted about five hours. I will never forget one minute of that game.

Biggest personal accomplishment:  I’m not sure there is one. While not my accomplishment, I am proudest of my role as a father to three remarkably talented and caring young adults who have, for their entire lives, inspired me to be a better person than I am.

First job: I begged my next-door neighbors to let me mow their lawn when I was 8 or 9. After a long afternoon, I was about halfway finished and dead tired. They let me stop and come back the next day and finish. It looked terrible but they were very nice about it. They let me try again the next week and it went faster and I did a better job. I learned there are many clichés that fit and fall into the category of perseverance and learning from failure. But what I truly learned was that our dear neighbors were two of the kindest and most loving people I’ve ever known.

Advice for aspiring attorneys: This isn’t just about law. Be sure you are considering any career for the “right” reasons, which can be different things for different people. While pursuing a particular career for someone else’s reasons will make for long grueling hours, pursuing it for your reasons will create passion and energy and joy for your entire career. 

Childhood goal: I wanted to be one of the following: astronaut, veterinarian, lawyer.  

Favorite vacation spot: Ocean Isle Beach. 

A month off: I would travel Europe with as much of my family as was willing to endure me and my insistence that we visit historic spots for a month.