Bar Number: 59327
My vision is to make the world realize being an attorney is about collaborating with people, not acting better than them. I pursue it through my practice, The Longhair Lawyer. When I’m not practicing law, you’ll probably find me somewhere outdoors—in a place that’s hard to reach.
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What is the most interesting case you have handled in your career so far and why?
In my first job as a law clerk, I had a client who was a former executive and minority owner of a company. The managing member kept telling him the company was in dire straits and the client should get out while he still could.
So he did. He quit and took severance. A few months later, the company was acquired by a massive company traded on the Nasdaq. The managing member lied to him—a deal like that doesn’t happen overnight.
Crazy thing was—the more documents I reviewed and the more I researched—his case kept getting better. Clients usually hide the ball and leave the worst facts for their attorneys to find later. Not this guy! He came in not knowing what he was entitled to, but by the time I read the company operating agreement and did some research on unpaid wage claims in the relevant jurisdiction—it was obvious he had millions in damages.
At the end of your career, how would you like to be remembered professionally?
Lawyers get a bad rap. People tend to think of us as pretentious, greedy, and unkind, and rightfully so! Over the years, bad actors have left us the butt of every joke.
A new generation of lawyers is on the rise. Together we will change the legal industry for the better. I’d like to be remembered as the opposite of the conventional image of an attorney. Instead of a cold, calculated, sharp-dressed barrister, I’d like to be remembered as a kind-hearted dude in a T-shirt.
What is your best piece of advice for someone who’s just entered law school?
Ask yourself this: How am I going to react to being placed in an environment surrounded by inherently competitive people, when everything is a competition?
Success is measured in many ways. Grades are one way. Another way could be getting through law school without compromising your morals, being taken advantage of by other students, and struggling to build relationships. To be successful by any measure, you need to understand your environment.
Know that you are surrounded predominantly by proud, competent, competitive people. Know that the curved grading system means that one student’s success is to the detriment of another.
Decide how you plan to act. Are you going to sabotage other people? I hope not. Are you going to assist those who are struggling? I hope so! But I also hope you won’t let others take advantage of you. Understand the environment, but don’t let it define you.
LIGHTNING ROUND
If you had to give a 10-minute presentation on one topic other than the law, what would it be and why? Too many options to decide! How to select the right camp chair? Dog training basics? How to assess the quality of a potato? An intro to indoor rock climbing? A brief guide to trench safety and affirmative consent? These are all topics that have added value to my life. I’d love to pass them on to others.
If you could go back in time, where/when would you go? I’d go back to the early 1800s and explore Washington state and Northern Idaho. I’d explore the Cascades and Selkirks. I’d see massive salmon swim up the Spokane and Entiat rivers. It would be a dream come true—as long as I’m allowed to get LASIK surgery before I step into the time machine.
What is one thing from your childhood you would bring back if you could? Days fishing with my grandpa on Hood Canal.
What is the most unusual job you’ve ever had? You decide! Ranch hand, construction laborer, or sales lead for the Camping Department at an REI?
What’s your go-to karaoke song? “Country Roads” by John Denver. It never fails to please the crowd, regardless of whether I’m in rural Washington or downtown San Francisco.
What is your favorite smell? Mountain air.
What is your favorite word? Progress.
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