Depression, financial struggles, loneliness, and old temptations: these are just a few of the troubles that individuals face upon re-entering society after a prison sentence. As a student at IU McKinney School of Law, I participated in the R.E.A.C.H. clinic, a re-entry clinic that assisted high-risk individuals with the difficulties of re-entering society after a prison sentence. This experience had a profound impact on my legal education and my eventual career path. I saw how difficult it was to adjust to a new society after serving a lengthy prison sentence and to conquer foundational goals such as finding consistent food and employment. As I continued to work in the clinic, the same questions always rose to the front of my mind. “How can I help individuals to not end up in prison in the first place when they are wrongfully accused?” “How can I work to ensure that any prison time a person receives is handed down after thorough and attentive lawyering?” Working as a criminal defense attorney at a respected and established law firm that focused only on criminal defense sounded like a good start. As a former high school and college athlete, I wanted to work for a firm that valued hard work, collaboration, and attention to detail. I was never the most talented athlete, but hard work and attention to detail helped me to earn the position of captain of both my high school and college basketball teams.
In January of 2023, I was introduced to the Criminal Defense Team. After finishing the bar examination in July of 2023, I began working for the team and learning about the CDT standard. The attention to detail, aggressive advocacy, and collaborative atmosphere our firm implements each day makes it clear why we are so well-regarded.
As I begin my career as an attorney, I am eager to grow, learn, and advocate for others with the same thoughts in mind that piqued my interest for being a criminal defense attorney during law school.