I was born and raised in small-town Wyoming. After graduating high school in 1996, I joined the Army and worked as an intelligence analyst and Arabic translator. I went on to earn my Bachelor of Arts degree in English, at which point I had a pointed conversation with my dad who said, “Yeah, but what are you actually going to DO with an English degree?” To appease him, I signed up for a business minor, which required a business law class, and I was hooked. (This story is so much better than “I was reading a lot of true crime books and watching far too much CourtTV.”) Next came a second business law class, then a paralegal certificate, and finally when I couldn’t hold out any longer, a law degree magna cum laude, in 2011.

All of my legal experience involves fighting for justice. As a paralegal, I worked on personal injury cases in Oregon and California. I continued that work during law school, clerking for personal injury attorneys and learning from the best. My extensive litigation and appellate experience have given me the perspective and legal knowledge to continue that fight for justice.

I never feel more like a lawyer than when I am writing. My practice is now focused on writing and arguing appellate cases in California on behalf of plaintiffs and criminal defendants. The appeal (get it?) of this kind is that in addition to the opportunity to help specific clients, there is potential for a broader impact on the practice of law, and how the little guy can have a better chance when going up against Goliath defendants. Having a say in how the law is interpreted can help change a legal landscape in which the odds are stacked against the average consumer or accused individual.