What is one thing that makes Husch Blackwell special?
The vast majority of my time at Husch Blackwell has been during this tricky COVID-19 era, and it’s evident the firm cares about its employees. The way leadership has handled our mental health, our safety, our families – they are unbelievably concerned about us. Despite the continuing challenges COVID poses, I have been able to thrive here and feel like the firm has my back on multiple fronts. It certainly engenders loyalty, comfort, and a sense of “I landed in the right spot.”
How have you enhanced your ability to serve clients?
The firm was supportive of my efforts to pursue a Master’s Degree in Medical Cannabis Sciences Therapeutics, which I earned last year from the University of Maryland College of Pharmacy. The biggest driver behind going back to school was the loss of my mother to metastatic breast cancer in 2018. Thankfully, she had access to medical cannabis, which alleviated many of her worst symptoms – something the opioids she was prescribed did not do. The cannabis helped her take on the day during a horrific time. While still grieving her loss, I decided I wanted to learn more about the plant that helped her. I wanted to turn the grief into something positive and become an attorney that had insight into the plant, its history, its potential in clinical development, and the chemistry behind it. The firm recognized that my academic pursuits would further those goals.
I am a biological sciences patent attorney by training, and while cannabis-related IP work is at the nascent stage because cannabis companies often have bigger priorities than building up a patent portfolio, my goal is to be there when they reach further stages in their development. Clients will appreciate that I have the scientific acumen and passion for the cannabis industry.
Is there a case you worked on that you found particularly rewarding?
Husch Blackwell does quite a bit of pharmaceutical patent litigation. Less than a year after I joined the firm, I was in Chicago for a two-week bench trial on behalf of a generic drug manufacturer seeking to market a major anti-depressant. The trial was conducted virtually. We did a great job, kept each other safe, and respected the weirdness of ”going to trial” in the era of COVID. It was an awesome experience that reaffirmed Husch Blackwell is a perfect fit for me. Most importantly for our client and patients, we completely prevailed on our noninfringement arguments, meaning a generic form of the antidepressant will be available years earlier than it otherwise would have been.
What is your advice for a new hire?
Communicate clearly with your clients and the professionals with whom you work. Set appropriate expectations for them and for yourself. Drafts should be “client ready.” With few exceptions, whatever you’ve been asked to do will take longer than you think, so plan accordingly.