What are some of your proudest recent achievements? I’m a member of the firm team representing, together with the Rule of Law Clinic at Yale Law School, the NAACP and Prince George’s County, Maryland in its lawsuit against the federal government over unconstitutional census preparations. In the 2010 Census, the county, which has a majority African American population, suffered a 2.3 percent net undercount—the largest net undercount of any county in Maryland and one of the largest of any county in the nation. This is significant because census results determine the number of congressional seats and federal funding each state receives, the redrawing of legislative district lines and the enforcement of voting rights laws. The lawsuit seeks to compel the Census Bureau to prepare for and conduct a full and fair 2020 Census, as the Constitution requires. In January 2019, the bureau’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit was denied. I’m also about to argue in the Ninth Circuit to defend the jury verdict we won on behalf the Estate of Elaine Steinbeck. I am hopeful this will be the final step in many years of litigation over the rights to John Steinbeck’s iconic works.

What does it mean to be a leader? I believe the best leaders are team players focused on the achievement of the team as a whole. They have to be good listeners, open to new ideas, and willing to put in the time and energy to help each member of the team have their opportunity to shine.