I aspired to be a teacher when I was in elementary and middle school. I enjoyed learning and often found myself eager to teach what I was learning to my parents and siblings. Naturally, that exercise did not seem to bring them as much joy and excitement as it brought me. I imagine they were relieved when I reached high school and developed an interest in law.
I first visited the Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse in high school—not for a field trip, but to observe oral argument before the late Judge Spiegel. I was there with my parents and brothers for a case involving the educational rights of my younger brother, who has an intellectual disability. The passionate and compelling advocacy of our attorney inspired me to pursue law school. My mom shared this with her, and the attorney told me to call her if I ever made it there. I did, and she has since had a lasting impact on my legal career.
One of my favorite trips was to Europe during my junior year of college. As a collegiate soccer player, I traveled with my teammates and coaches to France, England, Belgium, and Scotland for an international training trip. While there, we attended several professional matches and had the opportunity to compete against women’s teams from those countries. It was a memorable experience to share with my teammates.
Very early in my career, my mentor, a former opposing counsel I had befriended, explained to me why she settled a particular case. When I questioned whether the case might have been winnable, she said to me: “Look, anyone can learn to litigate a case. What someone pays me for is my judgment.” This may sound simple, obvious even. But good judgment in litigation requires consideration of an almost infinite number of factors. When a case goes poorly, it is often due to the attorney not exercising good judgment.
I wanted to be in the courtroom. Like many in my generation, as a teenager in the early 2000s, I absolutely loved Law & Order. That led me to join mock trial in high school and college. I was hooked.
I love to cook and eat, so it is very difficult to choose just one. As a kid, I lived in Spain for a year where I developed a love for seafood. Recently, I learned to make an octopus dish called Pulpo a la Gallega. You boil the octopus, and boil potatoes in the same water. Then you layer slices of octopus over slices of potato, drizzle very good olive oil over it, and finish with sea salt and paprika. It is remarkably delicious, and in some ways, a very simple dish.
This is the inaugural year of the State and Federal Court Practice Group, which was formed by merging several former practice groups. Our goals for the year include providing members with opportunities to stay informed about changes in local state and federal court practice and procedures, facilitating networking among practitioners in these courts, and fostering dialogue between the bench and bar. We plan to host our first CLE program in Spring 2025.