Justice For All *

I work as a staff attorney for the Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services (public defenders). For six years prior to law school, I taught high school physics and astronomy, and the choice to leave teaching was probably the most difficult of my professional life. I began my career as a teacher because I felt it was the place where I could best put my skills and interests to work making a difference. Eventually, I entered law school having come to the conclusion that I could do more with the law. Having encountered a number of legal issues as a teacher, entrepreneur, and community volunteer, I came to recognize that the law greatly affected all that I cared for. Because of this, the law, especially public service work, holds a strong attraction.

The summer after my 1L year, I split my time between an internship at the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps, Appellate Defense and a research position with one of my professors, Ward Farnsworth. Aside from being one of my favorite teachers, Professor Farnsworth actually wrote the one book I read in preparation for law school--The Legal Analyst: A Toolkit for Thinking about the Law. The JAG internship offered a unique look at the Military Justice system and allowed me the opportunity to help draft an appellate brief while also providing my first real-world introduction to criminal law.

The summer following 2L, I moved out to the Navajo Nation where I worked as a summer law clerk for DNA-People's Legal Service, and no, DNA does not stand for "Deoxyribonucleic acid." Rather, it's a Navajo phrase, "Dinébe'iiná Náhiilna Be Agha'diit'ahii," which roughly translates into "attorneys who work for the revitalization of the people." While living on the reservation, I helped provide civil legal services to indigent clients.

I was an article editor for the BU Journal of Science and Technology Law, and my Note, Heads in the Clouds, A Coming Storm: The Interplay of Cloud Computing, Encryption, and the Fifth Amendment's Protection Against Self-incrimination, was published in volume 17 of the journal.

Before graduating, I participated in BU's Criminal Law Clinic where I worked as a Rule 3:03 attorney providing criminal defense to indigent defendants at the Boston Municipal Court.

I now work in norther MA as a public defender, representing indigent clients in criminal court cases. Occasionally, I even get the chance to revisit the role of teacher, volunteering as a coach for Discovering Justice's mock trial program. As I'm fond of ponting out, all I've really done is move from the laws of nature to those of humanity.

As discussed on this site's disclaimer, none of the information found on this website should be considered legal advice nor can I dispense legal advice in person or over email.