Employer: Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe
Title and Practice Area: Partner, Supreme Court and Appellate

What was the most valuable lesson you learned in your first year practicing law? Transitioning from clerkships to private practice, I learned how to think about problems from the client's perspective and how to give clients advice rooted in understanding their needs and their concerns.

Describe your biggest win or accomplishment in practice. My successful en banc argument in Procopio v. Wilkie. Getting to argue before the full Federal Circuit was such an amazing opportunity, and to be able to persuade the court to rule emphatically in favor of so many deserving (and appreciative) disabled veterans was immensely rewarding.

Who is your greatest lawyer mentor, and what has he or she taught you? I had the privilege of starting my legal career clerking for two incredible mentors, Judge Timothy Dyk and Judge Thomas Griffith. In their own unique ways, each taught me the value of working hard to get to the right result and approaching each case with care and thoughtfulness.

Please share a brief key to your success. I'm an effective appellate advocate because I think about my audience. Understanding what a judge needs to know to rule in your client's favor, and making arguments in a way that gives them the right tools, will make all the difference.