Why have you chosen to make your career at Husch Blackwell?
As a television reporter, telling stories and providing good news to people so they could make more informed decisions delighted and energized me. At one point I worked in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where naturally I covered a lot of stories about football. But I thought there was a better use for my journalistic talent. I had an interest in people who I felt were imprisoned wrongfully and began to follow the case of a woman in Texas incarcerated for the murder of her children. I had a voracious appetite for more information and was convinced the evidence presented against her wasn’t enough. My interest in criminal stories and the justice system led me to Texas to cover stories about her as well as a man who is on death row for the murder of a 19-year-old.
My natural interests were taking me to a different place, and I decided I had to go to law school and become a prosecutor. While I ultimately joined one of the top 30 law firms in the country, I always did a lot of pro bono work, which included these two criminal cases. One day I looked down at the shackles of the death row inmate. I was scared and shaken by the need to “get it right” – and was also inspired by what I was doing. I thought about my next career move and what I enjoyed most, which was helping people who didn’t have access to the legal system. Three years later, I was hired as Pro Bono Counsel at Husch Blackwell where I am able to focus on such efforts full time.
Is there a recent achievement you found particularly rewarding?
I was asked to join two nonprofit boards due to the success of our HB Communities for Change program, which provides pro bono legal counsel to minority-owned businesses that would otherwise not have access. It’s a tremendous honor and shows that highly influential people are taking note of what we’re trying to accomplish.
We endeavor to help people flourish, and in doing so we can help tackle some of the issues with economic disparities and racial injustice. It is the minority-owned businesses that are on the front lines of addressing and trying to remedy these disparities. They hire minorities, promote them, give them upward mobility and a real chance to succeed.
One of our program criteria is that the business is viable – that it takes care of its expenses, operates on a business plan and is poised for success. I’m inspired by the number of clients who have graduated from our program, meaning they can no longer be justified for pro bono counsel because their revenues are too high.
What is one thing that makes Husch Blackwell special?
I have been with the firm for a year now, and while I could name several things, first and foremost it’s the people. They are warm, inviting, encouraging, uplifting. There is something different here; it’s tangible. Don’t get me wrong: We are driven and committed to excellent client service; but I have been impressed with the manner in which Husch Blackwell professionals go about doing their work.
What is your advice for a new hire?
When we begin a new position, we’re so interested in showing others our own capabilities and making a good first impression. But if I were talking to myself when I first walked through these doors, I would say, “Let them show you what they can do. Let them demonstrate to you what collegiality and teamwork look like; what working together for one cause looks like; what innovation and improving the client experience looks like; and what efforts at improving diversity, equity and inclusion can look like. Let them show you their talents; they are considerable.”