For those who do not know me, I am a mom to two wonderful kids, ages five and nine. I have been married to my husband for nearly thirteen years, and I have built a litigation practice I am proud of.
I have also been practicing law long enough to have seen a little bit of everything, and then some.
Somewhere along the way, I started to realize that many of those experiences, hard-earned lessons, unexpected moments of humor, and the day-to-day realities of being a litigator, might actually be useful, or at least relatable, to share.
In talking with other lawyers, especially younger ones, I have also noticed how many misconceptions there are about what this career actually looks like. The amount of work it takes to do this job well, and how to do that while also having a family, a life, or even just getting sleep, is not something we talk about honestly nearly enough.
This blog is my way of changing that, at least in a small way. It is a place to share stories and insights from the work I have done and the life I am building alongside it. It is part reflection, part practical guidance, and occasionally, part comic relief.
What this is and what it is not
I want to be clear about what I am building here. This is not a legal advice column. And it is not a place where I am going to tell you what to think about contested issues in the law or in the broader culture. What it is, I hope, is an honest look at how I think about the profession I have spent my career in, along with leadership, growth, and life more broadly.
I am writing primarily for other lawyers, especially those earlier in their careers, and for people who are thinking seriously about what a demanding professional life really entails. If you happen to be a prospective client, you may learn something about how I approach my work, and I think that is a fair and useful thing to know, but that is not the purpose of this space.
What I do intend to share are the things I have learned, the decisions I have made, both good and bad, and the moments that have shaped how I show up as a lawyer and as a person. Some posts will be more reflective, others more practical. And sometimes I will simply write about what is happening in my life.
The format and the cadence
My goal is to publish one post per week. I am putting that out there publicly because I have learned that those are the commitments most likely to stick. At the same time, I also believe in giving yourself a little grace. As this blog will likely make clear, my life is full, so if I miss a week here or there, I hope you will understand. The posts will be about this length: long enough to say something meaningful, but short enough to respect your time.
They will not be comprehensive, but they will be honest. And in my experience, that is what tends to be more useful anyway. I have been practicing for more than twenty years and have had opportunities, through my cases and through leadership roles, that have shaped how I see this profession. I do not share that to impress anyone, but to give context. My perspective is just that, a perspective, formed by my particular path. What follows, week by week, is simply what I have made of it.
When you see what lawyers actually do for people in the hardest moments of their lives, the question of whether it is worth it answers itself.
At the end of my presidential year with the State Bar of Arizona, I wrote something that I still believe deeply: when you see what lawyers actually do for people in the hardest moments of their lives, the question of whether it is worth it answers itself.
That is the spirit behind this blog. If you want to make sure you do not miss a post, you can subscribe using the form below, and I will let you know when something new is here.
