When I first went to law school it was with the intention of leveraging my background in chemistry to practice intellectual property law. In my first year, I found mock trial. I competed heavily and I realized quickly that my skills were better suited to a courtroom than drafting patents. I decided then that I would pursue a career in litigation.
I started out my career working a broad range of cases in personal injury and contract disputes. Under the mentorship of some great attorneys, I learned the ins and outs of litigating a case through all stages. I have found that to be an effective litigator you have to be comfortable fulfilling your purpose as a lawyer. In civil litigation, that purpose often boils down to defending a corporation, or helping an injured person in need find relief. I choose the latter. I find strength in my purpose as an attorney that helps those in need.
What motivates me as an attorney is simple—my clients. I have found almost universally that my clients seek out a lawyer primarily because they are concerned about the safety of others. What happened to them in the past can’t be reversed, but they hope that we can change the behavior of bad actors to prevent similar harm to others in the future. Since joining DOB+S, I think that rings even more true. Mesothelioma is a terrible, incurable, fatal, but preventable disease. I am motivated by the same things that motivate my clients: holding companies accountable for irresponsible actions that ultimately affect the safety of the public. It is my hope that through our work we can change the rules and regulations that affect our safety for the better.
