Discovery with Priya Chaudhry

My colleagues would be surprised to know that … I cry during How to Train Your Dragon. Both 1 and 2.

The quality I most like in a lawyer is … passion.

The lawyer I most admire is … my grandfather, a prominent criminal defense lawyer in India, who once won an acquittal in a broad-daylight murder case with four eyewitnesses. 

My pre-trial routine is … going for a long run while listening to ’80s gangsta rap.

When I started, I wish I knew … how important the emotional experience of a client is, and how to be present for it.

If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … a diesel mechanic or the Zookeeper General of the United States (a position I created at age 3).

When I win a case, I celebrate by … buying myself a sparkly piece of jewelry. It’s like a wearable trophy.

The SCOTUS decision I’d most like to overturn is … Korematsu v. U.S. It’s still a scar on our country’s history. 

I can do a pretty good impersonation of … Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons.

On weekends I … run with my wolf-dog, embarrass myself at yoga, go for a long ride, and, during football season, scream at the Browns. 

My most bizarre talent is … I do a mean headstand. 

The talent I wish I had is … counting cards. Or just a better poker face. 

The most fascinating person I ever met is … Nelson Mandela, in 2000, at the Burundi Women’s Peace Conference in Arusha, Tanzania.

The craziest thing I witnessed in a courtroom is … the alleged victim in a domestic violence case
had a seizure and his wife, the defendant, was not allowed to help him because of the order of protection. 

My earliest memory is … in the projects of Cleveland, where I grew up, watching the Browns lose. That’s also a recent memory, regardless of location.

My favorite song lyric is … “I would rather starve than eat your bread.” (Pearl Jam, “Corduroy”) 

I can’t believe more people haven’t read … the Constitution! And Crime and Punishment.

The movie line I quote most often is … a tie between “So you’re telling me there’s a chance!”
(Dumb and Dumber) and “You keep talking like a bitch, I’m going to slap you like a bitch.” (Reservoir Dogs)

The three people I’d invite to dinner are … Eddie Vedder, Salman Rushdie and Hillary Clinton.

I wish I had invented … the Flowbee. What a fantastic and absurd product.

The book I just don’t get is … A Confederacy of Dunces. Also, the U.S. Attorneys’ Manual, which appears
unread by its intended audience.

If I had a morning show, my co-host would be … LeBron James.

The most annoying thing about my job is … the email waterboarding. So easy to drown on any given day.

Nothing cheers me up like … a speedy motorcycle ride on a curvy road.

My favorite word is … “yes.” 

My least-favorite word is … “guilty.”

My motto is … if they didn’t have bad judgment, they wouldn’t be our clients.