Employer: Jones Day
Title and Practice Area: Partner, Business Restructuring/Bankruptcy

What was the most valuable lesson you learned in your first year practicing law? The most valuable lesson I learned early on was to develop a "working hypothesis" (not a "plan") for your career—that is, have a general sense for where you'd like your career to go, but be open to revising the hypothesis as new opportunities or challenges arise.

Describe your biggest win or accomplishment in practice. Since 2014, I have been co-lead counsel for The American Legion in American Legion v. American Humanist Association, which we recently won at the U.S. Supreme Court. The ruling, one of the most high-profile of the 2018-2019 term, preserved a century-old memorial to the fallen of WWI against a constitutional challenge.

Who is your greatest lawyer mentor, and what has he or she taught you? Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. has been one of my greatest mentors. I learned much about writing clearly and simply from him, but I also learned the importance of treating all colleagues—from the person who collects the trash to the managing partner of the firm—with the highest level of respect.

Please share a brief key to your success. The ability to remain calm and focused in difficult circumstances is a key for me and has allowed our teams to develop creative, outside-the-box arguments that have saved our clients hundreds of millions of dollars.