Describe your career trajectory.
After college I worked on The Hill for three years as an aide to various congressional representatives. D.C. was filled with idealistic twenty-somethings like me. I soon realized, however, that I wanted to focus on how the law impacts real people, and that law school was the clearest path to such a career. (This really shouldn’t have been a surprise: In elementary school, when I had to draw a picture of what I wanted to be when I grew up, I sketched a trial lawyer advocating in court.)
In law school, 2Ls participated in a trial techniques program taught by alumni. A number of the alumni, while successful, were unhappy because they didn’t find meaning in their work. A federal prosecutor, however, raved about seeking justice and taking cases when they were the right thing to do. Something about that and the spirit of goodness in his career struck me, and after a few years as a litigation associate at a firm in Georgia, I joined the Department of Justice (DOJ) and stayed for five years.
Why did you choose to return to private practice, and what brought you to Husch Blackwell?
I focused on healthcare cases at the DOJ. The experience made me appreciate the few defense attorneys who can effectively push against enforcement in this space, which is governed by a complex web of regulations and involves careful navigating of the plethora of outcomes available to DOJ for targets of investigations. I also found myself sympathizing with healthcare providers that were being pressed into hard positions where whistleblowers were carrying cases forward that I didn’t feel were righteous. Returning to private practice would give a voice to these providers who hadn’t done anything wrong.
Three things were important to me in a new opportunity: (1) I didn’t want to move my family because we were invested in our community; (2) I wanted to have a national practice; and (3) I wanted a firm with great healthcare clients. It wasn’t a tough decision for me: I could have all of these things at Husch Blackwell.
Describe your experience with The Link, the firm’s virtual office.
By working remotely through The Link, everything happens much more quickly – and Husch Blackwell’s model of aligning by industry has made it easy for me to plug in. A group of healthcare partners meets twice per week even though we are all scattered across the country. In fact, I am the only attorney located in Georgia. The industry group really has replaced the office. I may not run into my colleagues at the water cooler, but I interact with them regularly.
The Link also fosters work-life balance. My family is super important to me. I grew up with a father who was physically and emotionally present in my life, and who was home for dinner most nights. At the DOJ, I had an hour commute and arrived home after my young boys were in bed. Now there are days I can pick them up at the bus stop or even catch a tee-ball game.
How is Husch Blackwell uncommon?
The firm is focused on clients in a way that is genuine and authentic. We view client relationships as a partnership; we’re aware of their goals and think ahead to how we can better position them or introduce them to others who may be helpful.