I NEVER IMAGINED MY LIFE WOULD LEAD ME INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. GROWING UP, I DREAMED OF GOING TO BEAUTY SCHOOL, NOT ADVOCATING IN COURTROOMS. BUT A SERIES OF DIFFICULT LIFE EXPERIENCES — ONES I WOULD NEVER WISH ON ANYONE — SHAPED ME INTO THE PERSON I AM TODAY AND GAVE ME A PURPOSE I COULD NEVER HAVE FORESEEN.
MY PURPOSE OF BEING AN ATTORNEY BEGAN WHEN MY BROTHER WAS SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON AT THE AGE OF 21.
OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT PEOPLE LOOK DOWN ON OTHERS WHO HAVE A LOVED ONE IN PRISON AND THOSE PEOPLE ASSUME THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE IS IN PRISON, THAT PERSON MUST BE HORRIBLE. NOTHING IS FARTHER FROM THE TRUTH. MY BROTHER IS ONE OF THE BEST PEOPLE I KNOW, A GOOD-HEARTED KID WHO MADE A BAD DECISION. I BELIEVE A PERSON SHOULD NOT BE DEFINED BY HIS OR HER WORST MOMENT AND A PERSON IS MORE THAN WHAT IS WRITTEN IN A POLICE REPORT.
MY FAMILY HAD NO EXPERIENCE WITH THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND TRUSTED THAT THE ATTORNEY WE HIRED WOULD DO HIS JOB. UNFORTUNATELY, HE DIDN’T. UNDER PRESSURE, MY BROTHER ACCEPTED A PLEA BARGAIN, BELIEVING IT WOULD MEAN LESS THAN 10 YEARS IN PRISON. INSTEAD, IT MEANT TWO DECADES BEHIND BARS.
THERE I STOOD, IN A COURTROOM, HUGGING AND KISSING MY BROTHER AS HE SAID HIS LAST GOODBYES AND BEGGED ME NOT TO CRY. I DON’T THINK ANYONE COULD EVER IMAGINE THE PAIN I FELT THAT DAY. I LOST MY BEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WORLD AND I SAW MY PARENTS MORE DISTRAUGHT THAN I HAD EVER SEEN THEM IN MY LIFE.
IT WAS THIS MOMENT THAT SHAPED MY LIFE AND LED ME TO CRIMINAL DEFENSE WORK. I PROMISED MYSELF I WOULD DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO ENSURE NO ONE ELSE, AND NO OTHER FAMILY, WOULD HAVE TO FACE SUCH A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE WITHOUT AN ADVOCATE WHO TRULY FOUGHT FOR THEM.
SINCE JUNE 2011, I HAVE DEVOTED MY CAREER TO CRIMINAL DEFENSE, WORKING RELENTLESSLY TO ENSURE MY CLIENTS RECEIVE THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE REPRESENTATION. AS AN ATTORNEY, I KNOW THAT WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE TO GIVE THE BEST DEFENSE POSSIBLE, BECAUSE ONCE A VERDICT IS DECIDED, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE.
EVERY CASE I TAKE IS PERSONAL. I DEFEND EACH CASE AS IF IT WERE MY BROTHER’S — WITH DEDICATION, COMPASSION, AND AN UNWAVERING BELIEF IN JUSTICE. THIS IS WHAT DRIVES ME EVERY DAY.
I KNOW THE STAKES, AND I KNOW THE PAIN OF LOSING WITHOUT A FAIR FIGHT. THAT IS WHY I WILL NEVER STOP FIGHTING FOR MY CLIENTS.
