For 13 years I worked for some of the leading lawyers and law firms in the country. Now, having started my own firm, I want to use what I’ve learned to work on the cases that mean the most to me.
My first job out of college was working with women who’d been sexually harassed by their landlords. Those cases made a big impression on me. The harassment was awful, and it left the women with terrible options. No one should have to choose between their own safety and having a place to live. But some of these women chose to endure the abuse so their kids would have a roof over their heads. Others broke their leases to get away, earning eviction records that made it difficult to rent elsewhere and keep public housing assistance. I will always dedicate a large portion of my time to these cases.
That first job made me want to go to law school. I graduated from Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law near the top of my class (magna cum laude, Order of the Coif). During school, I interned for a federal judge, worked at a federal prosecutor’s office, won a teaching-assistant-of-the-year award, and was the law prom king my final year. Law school was a good time. The best part was meeting my future wife Nicole.
Since graduating I have been fortunate to work with and learn from some great lawyers, law firms, and judges. Here’s what I’ve been up to:
- Law Clerk to Judge Richard C. Tallman – Judge Tallman sits on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Seattle, Washington. The Ninth Circuit is one of the federal appeals courts that sits just below the United States Supreme Court.
- Law Clerk to Judge Edmond E. Chang – Judge Chang sits on the Northern District of Illinois, the federal trial court in Chicago.
- Loevy & Loevy – I worked for one of the nation’s best civil rights law firms, learning about representing those hurt by police and correctional misconduct.
- Brancart & Brancart – I worked with one of the nation’s best law firms dedicated to ending housing discrimination.
- Sidley Austin LLP – Sidley is a 150 year-old global law firm that represents the largest companies in the world in some of their most complex lawsuits.
- Keller Lenkner LLC – I was the second associate and third employee at Keller Lenkner and helped grow the firm over 18 months to more than 20 lawyers and 30 non-attorney staff, making headlines bringing cases on behalf of underpaid workers.
It was at Keller Lenkner that I learned first-hand how drivers working for app-based delivery companies like DoorDash, Instacart, and Postmates, are woefully underpaid. I am proud to continue working with these hardworking folks to help get them what they are owed.
Many of the wins I’ve had in my career are confidential. But I can tell you that I’ve won my last two jury trials. One on behalf of a woman who was not allowed to rent an apartment because of her disability and the other on behalf of a young man who was refused medical attention while in prison. I’ve also helped win a handful of significant appeals, like this one on behalf of prisoners who can’t afford filing fees and this one on behalf of UberBLACK drivers in Philadelphia.
On top of the work, I’ve also tried to stay involved. I’ve given presentations about fair housing rights. I teach a seminar on housing discrimination at the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. And I serve on the Ambassadors Board of Legal Aid Chicago, a non-profit that helps resolve legal problems for those in poverty.
I hope you’ll give me a chance to take what I’ve learned and put it work for you.
