About
What do you do as an attorney?
As an attorney, I represent individuals in civil litigation cases, most recently those involving civil rights and employment-related matters. In the litigation realm especially, there really is no “typical” day on the job; tasks can involve anything from researching case law and writing a brief to preparing a client for a deposition or arguing a motion in court, so that certainly keeps my job exciting.
Why did you choose to major in Psychology and how has that affected your career thus far?
I’ve known since I was a little kid that I wanted to be an attorney so that I could use the legal system to help people. I felt that in order to help people in the most effective way possible, it would be important to understand as much as I could about why we, as humans, are the way we are–why and how things like our behaviors, emotions, personalities, and biology impact the ways in which we interact with our world and other people in it. This has definitely come in handy in the practice of law, where it’s helped me to more knowledgeably and empathetically represent all different kinds of clients such as children, individuals who have a mental illness, or those who may otherwise be facing a time of crisis in their lives.
What was your career path like?
After graduating from Michigan with my degree in Psychology in May of 2013 and deciding I wasn’t ready to leave Ann Arbor just yet, I went straight through to law school at Michigan Law, beginning classes only a couple of weeks later through the law school’s summer start program. While at MLaw, I enjoyed being able to practice in a variety of legal settings, which included serving as a student attorney at the school’s Child Advocacy Law Clinic for a year, and spending my summers with an employment and civil rights law firm in Ann Arbor and as an in-house legal intern for a company in Detroit. I graduated from law school in December 2015, and thereafter began practicing civil rights and employment law at a firm in metro Detroit. I just recently moved to California, where I’m excited to continue practicing law and helping people in my community navigate social justice issues and other public-interest related matters.
What advice do you have for students getting a degree in the UM Psychology Department who are considering your profession?
Aside from psychology being a subject that I was interested in passionate about, I was happy I chose to major in psychology because of how well the various aspects of my education directly translated to skills I would need in law school and later on in my legal career. I was constantly practicing and strengthening my analytical and writing skills, which are hugely important in this profession, and it was also important to me to have people-centered educational experiences knowing that I wanted that to be a big part of my career as an attorney. For those reasons especially, I’d encourage students majoring in psychology to take not only classes that are focused on research and writing, but to participate in one of the several great experiential labs that UM offers as well. There really is no replacement for getting out in the community and being able to use what you’ve learned in the classroom to work with and help real people. Plus, by taking advantage of these opportunities offered by UM, you’ll gain beneficial experience that many of your future classmates and colleagues won’t have had which will make you even better prepared to be a great attorney.
How has the University of Michigan alumni network helped you thus far in your career?
The Michigan alumni network has been invaluable to me at each step I’ve taken so far in my career. It’s been easy to find alumni who were more than willing to chat with me about applying for law schools or answer questions about life as an attorney, and even in my work itself the Michigan ties are strong- at every single job or internship I’ve held so far, I’ve been lucky to work with several fellow Wolverines! It’s also nice to know, especially after making a big move across the country, that the alumni network stretches everywhere; there are two active alumni chapters within half an hour of where I live who are always hosting get-togethers for sporting events, professional seminars, and other chances to connect with fellow alumni.
What is the best career advice that you have received?
My favorite class I took at Michigan was Positive Psychology, which was taught by the late Chris Peterson. Professor Peterson’s trademark phrase was, simply, “Other people matter.” While this short but significant statement certainly applies to everyday life, I really find it to be solid guiding advice for how to go about my professional life as well. While being an attorney can be stressful at times and it’s easy to get caught up in all there is to be done, I find that remembering that “other people matter” helps to re-focus me on why I chose this career in the first place: to help other people! What may in the moment feel to me like a never-ending brief could be someone else’s key to being able to provide for their family or right a wrong that has been done to them. I find Professor Peterson’s mantra helpful in not only shifting my perspective in times of frustration, but also to interacting with my clients and colleagues and overall making career decisions that stay true to what I hope to accomplish as an attorney and a person.
