Short questions with Dana Perino for Kerri Kupec Urbahn

You've seen us on screen, but have you ever wondered what we're like off-camera?

For the last few months, I’ve enjoyed checking in with some of your favorite Fox personalities to learn more about who they are behind the scenes.

What's the one thing Jesse Watters couldn’t live without? What's Bill Hemmer’s favorite Halloween costume? And what's sitting on Greg Gutfeld’s nightstand? 

But that's not all! The fun is just getting started.

This week, we're excited to shine the spotlight on Kerri Kupec Urbahn, legal editor for Fox News.

Prior to her work in media, she served as director of public affairs at the Department of Justice under Attorney General William P. Barr. She also served as communications director for Alliance Defending Freedom, and clerked for Court of Appeals of Virginia Judge William G. Petty.

P.S. We have so much more in store for you. Stay tuned each week for new editions of "Short Questions with Dana Perino" — and if there’s a question you want answers to or a suggestion for the person I should interview next, leave a note in the comments section below. 

Q: What is the best advice you've ever been given? And what is your favorite piece of advice to give? 

KKU: Make stars of others — and make stars of others. 

It's counterintuitive but the best way to operate, whether professionally or personally. 

Q: What are some key skills or qualities you believe are essential for success in the legal profession?

KKU: Good gut instinct, attention to detail, integrity.

Q: What advice would you give to someone considering law school or entering the legal profession?

KKU: You should want to practice law. Law school and the bar exam are a huge commitment. 

It's time-consuming, challenging and expensive — and what I'd imagine trade school is like. 

I often tell people NOT to follow my path. That is, I loved the various philosophies behind law and talking about the law, but wasn't sure I wanted to practice. 

Thankfully, my career path worked out and I've had a number of dream jobs, but it's not the norm. 

"Learning how to think like a judge, particularly an appellate one, has helped me tremendously in my career."

The other advice I would give is to clerk for a judge. 

Learning how to think like a judge, particularly an appellate one, has helped me tremendously in my career, from leading efforts in the court of public opinion at Alliance Defending Freedom on a number of high-profile, sensitive U.S. Supreme Court cases to my current spot as legal editor for Fox News. 

Also, working for a smart judge will sharpen your ability exponentially to analyze, spar and keep up — which proved to be especially critical when I worked for former Attorney General Bill Barr. 

Even though the entire time I was clerking I felt like a square peg in a round hole, I also had a sense the skills I was developing would be crucial to what I did in the future. 

That proved to be true. 

Q: What about advice you’d give to someone who is feeling unsure about their career path in law?

KKU: I'd tell them to get some practical experience under their belt first — clerking, working in a prosecutor's or public defender's office. Then re-assess. 

At that point, a person typically has a good idea of what they don't want to do, which makes it easier in deciding what to do. 

Q: What’s your favorite amendment to the U.S. Constitution and why?

KKU: For most of my life, I would have said the First Amendment for the obvious reasons — freedom of speech, religion, etc. is a defining characteristic of America and facilitates human flourishing. 

"You can't have real justice without due process."

Lately, I've developed a newfound appreciation for the 5th and 6th Amendments. 

You can't have real justice without due process and it's what distinguishes a free nation from a banana republic. 

Q: Moving away from law for a moment: If you were to organize a movie marathon featuring your all-time favorite films, what three movies would top your list? Bonus: What snacks would you serve?

KKU: If I take the time to watch a movie, it needs to be an escape, which for me equals feel-good (If it's sad or violent, I'm out!). 

Thus, my three would be: "Sabrina" (the original one, with Audrey Hepburn), "Legally Blonde" and "The Holiday."

Snacks: Onion dip (sour cream mixed with Lipton Onion soup mix), with kettle potato chips and either Coke or wine. 

Q: What is the last book you read?

KKU: Over the last couple of years, I've gotten back into reading just for the sake of it being fun, and am currently in the middle of "The Paris Novel" by Ruth Reichl. 

Q: If you could invite any three U.S. presidents to a dinner party, who would they be?

KKU: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower.

Q: Lastly, fill in the blank: I wish someone had told me …

KKU: … That healthy confidence does not equal arrogance. 

I hate arrogance and have often over-compensated by underselling myself, overly deferring and not properly owning my seat at the table. 

But usually, if I ask myself, "How would a man act in this situation?" — then I can snap out of it.  ;)

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To read all of Dana Perino's earlier "Short Questions" interviews for Fox News Digital, check out this (long) list!

For her interview with Dr. Marc Siegel, click here. 

For her interview with Taylor Riggs, click here. 

For her interview with Griff Jenkins, click here. 

For her interview with Joe Concha, click here.

For her interview with David L. Bahnsen, click here.

For her interview with Dagen McDowell, click here. 

For her interview with Lydia Hu, click here. 

For her interview with Brian Brenberg, click here. 

For her interview with Jackie DeAngelis, click here. 

For her interview with Claudia Cowan, click here. 

For her interview with Max Gorden, click here. 

For her interview with Jared Cohen, click here. 

For her interview with William La Jeunesse, click here.

For her interview with Matt Finn, click here.

For her interview with Rich Edson, click here.

For her interview with Gov. Chris Sununu, click here. 

For her interview with Ross Rayburn, click here. 

For her interview with Mark Meredith, click here.

For her interview with Emily Compagno, click here.

For her interview with Chad Pergram, click here.

For her interview with Mike Emanuel, click here. 

For her interview with Gillian Turner, click here. 

For her interview with Madison Alworth, click here. 

For her interview with Nate Foy, click here.

For her interview with Laura Ingraham, click here. 

For her interview with five New York FOX reporters, click here. 

For her interview with Katie Pavlich, click here.

For her interview with Guy Benson, click here. 

For her interview with Pete Hegseth, click here. 

For her interview with Sandra Smith, click here. 

For her interview with Nicolas Yannicelli, click here.

For her interview with Abby Hornacek, click here.

For her interview with Elise Bitter, click here. 

For her interview with Brian Kilmeade, click here.

For her interview with Kennedy, click here.

For her interview with John Roberts, click here. 

For her interview with Janice Dean, click here. 

For her interview with Charles Payne, click here.

For her interview with Trey Gowdy, click here.

For her interview with Johnny "Joey" Jones, click here. 

For her interview with Bill Melugin, click here. 

For her interview with Jimmy Failla, click here. 

For her interview with Tyrus, click here. 

For her interview with Ainsley Earhardt, click here.

For her interview with Lawrence Jones, click here. 

For her interview with Dr. Arash Akhavan, click here. 

For her interview with Martha MacCallum, click here.

For her interview with Bret Baier, click here. 

For her interview with Kayleigh McEnany, click here.

For her interview with Harold Ford Jr., click here. 

For her interview with Shannon Bream, click here.

For her interview with Jessica Tarlov, click here.

For her interview with Leo Terrell, click here.

For her interview with Geraldo Rivera, click here.

For her interview with Clay Travis, click here.

For her interview with Bill Hemmer, click here. 

For her interview with Greg Gutfeld, click here.

For her interview with Benjamin Hall, click here.

For her interview with Judge Jeanine Pirro, click here.

For her interview with Jesse Watters, click here.