Preparation, Kindness and Following in the Footsteps of Her Great-Grandfather

If you were in my office, you’d … probably comment on my yellow couch. I love color and having it in my office brightens up my day. I also hope it makes for an inviting space for colleagues to pop in to my office.

The lawyer I most admire is … Jim Irwin, one of the founding partners of our firm. I’m probably echoing the sentiments of a lot of people at my firm, but I had the privilege of learning under Jim as a young lawyer and he is not only a great trial lawyer, but an incredible example of the professionalism, kindness and courtesy that exemplifies our field at its very best.

My pre-trial routine is … prepare, prepare, prepare. There is no such thing as being too prepared. My process varies, but it typically involves a lot of different colored highlighters and Post-it Tabs.

The quality I most like in a lawyer is … kindness. Of course you should always be a zealous advocate for your client, but if you can balance that with being respectful of your colleagues and opposing counsel—particularly when they may be dealing with illness, family issues or other hardships, it’s the right thing to do. And in doing so, you’ll develop the right kind of reputation among your colleagues and the bench.

My career high point (so far) has been … being part of a winning trial team in a high-stakes bellwether case. 

The SCOTUS justice I’d like to meet is … RBG.

The SCOTUS decision I’d overturn is … Korematsu v. United States. I think there’s been discussion that perhaps it has been, but it should be reversed unequivocally.

A different practice area that intrigues me is … international law. I have a friend who represents countries in litigation, including at the Hague, and it is fascinating to hear her talk about it.

The talent I wish I had is … singing. Like a lot of people, I belt it out in the car or at the occasional karaoke, but it would be nice to be able to carry a tune.  

My real-life hero is … my mom. She came to a new country, got her Ph.D. in mathematics, and raised two kids! Incredible.

The movie line I quote most often is … nowadays it’s usually “You’re killing me, Smalls” from The Sandlot and it’s usually said to one or both of my kids.

The three people I’d invite to dinner are … Beyonce, Oprah and Mindy Kaling. I think we’d have fun.

My favorite podcast is … NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour. 

If I had a morning show, my co-host would be … Hoda Kotb. She’s bubbly, has got a New Orleans connection, and she’s a Saints fan. What’s not to like?  

The last TV show I binge-watched was … Great British Baking Show! I’m not much of a cook but I love to live vicariously.

My guilty pleasure is … terrible reality TV on Bravo. 

If I had a time machine, I would … love to go back and meet my great-grandparents. Particularly my great-grandfather—he was trained as a barrister when India was still under British rule.  

My least-favorite word is … whatever.

Nothing cheers me up like … my children. Does not matter how hard of a day I’ve had, walking in and seeing my four-year-old and two-year-old running toward me is an instant pick-me-up.