Talking Needy Plants, Mexican Ska and Vintage Furniture

My nickname is … Goose, despite hating Top Gun with a passion. The world at large has unanimously decided that this is the best nickname for me, so I’ve decided to roll with it.

I can’t go a day without … tending to my vast collection of office plants, which get the priority for my attention first thing every morning. That’s largely because plants are less demanding than my email inbox. I try not to pick favorites, but the less-favored plants definitely get subpar placement under the grow lights. I have mixed feelings about Danny DeVito (pictured), because I wasn’t totally sure how clients would respond to him, but he’s flown under the radar so far!

My colleagues would be surprised to know that … even though I have made a reputation for loving death metal and Mexican ska, it turns out that Britney Spears, Coolio, and the Everly Brothers are responsible for my favorite songs of all time. (Obviously, I’m referring to “Toxic,” “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “Down in the Willow Garden.”)

The quality I most like in a lawyer is … the rare combination of being both so wildly intelligent and connected to their audience that they are able to explain even the most complex ideas in ways that are understandable to a layperson. I try to be this lawyer every day, and I hope my clients see that, but I think it’s a rare combination of mood, audience, and caffeine that have to hit just right before it works. 

The SCOTUS decision I’d overturn is … Citizens United. Could we just … not do this?

I can’t believe more people haven’t read … Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon. This one has stayed with me for years. Especially in a world where we learn more and more about what it means to be neurodivergent and the many ways that that can manifest, this book raises so many difficult questions about identity and what makes you you; and would you “fix” yourself if you could?

My favorite song lyric is … “My last will and testament / Was full of things that I didn’t really mean / I wanna come clean, but these words are easier / To write than to read or to say” – “Halcyon Days (Where Were You Then?)” by Local H

My least-favorite word is … unread.

If I won the lottery I’d … never tell anyone, but there would be signs. Primarily, the “for sale” sign in front of my house after I list it and venture forth to travel the world for a couple of years.

The most annoying thing about my job is … that I really aspire to have a paperless office, but estate planning feels like the one practice area where that will never actually be possible.

Nothing cheers me up like … finding cool vintage furniture at flea markets, thrift stores, or Facebook Marketplace.

If you could offer one piece of advice to new lawyers, it would be … It’s totally 100% OK to say that you don’t know the answer. And if research doesn’t give you the answer, you can (and should!) say that to your client or supervising attorney.

The question I’m tired of answering is … Do you speak Spanish? Because the answer is no, and I get a face of total disappointment from the other person every single time. It’s wild that it’s even possible to be such a deep and personal disappointment to people who I just met 45 seconds beforehand.

My favorite social media account is … @CleoLongLegs, which is the combination of the cutest dogs in the entire world and the hysterical woman who narrates their shenanigans.