WHAT WAS YOUR PATH INTO LAW AND ONTO THE BENCH?

I saw from a young age how the law could both help people and harm them. I wanted to help people. I was drawn to the idea of being a lawyer without having known one (other than Matlock, on television). The idea stuck with me during childhood for some reason I cannot yet explain. When I studied, before and during law school, I volunteered in shelters and transition houses. I wanted to help people navigate the unexpected intersection of the law with their homes and families. I had a private family law practice and then switched to agency-side child welfare law. It always felt like rolling a large boulder up a mountain. The negative force of social inequities and injustices was invasive. The intersection of child welfare cases and the criminal courts, for various reasons, was ever-present and too often predictable. I advocated for more diversity on the bench generally, and from a personal perspective noted the low number of 2SLGBTQ+ appointments. I applied when I felt I had enough perspective and experience to bring something positive to the role.  

WHAT EXPERIENCE IN YOUR LEGAL CAREER BEST PREPARED YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THE BENCH?

Communication and conflict resolution skills, including an ability to critically think and think outside the box, are the skills I draw on every day. In family law, I interacted with people in crisis who were often confused and disenfranchised from the system they had to engage. These skills are very transferable to the criminal bench. Effectively communicating with people in a variety of circumstances, understanding their positions, empathizing, and considering a wide range of solutions is key to navigating the heightened emotions and complex relationships in a courtroom. Judging, as isolated as it can, is a very public job. The decisions we provide are often the final things we do after a long line of interactions with people in challenging situations. 

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR COUNSEL WHO APPEAR BEFORE YOU?

Your reputation is everything – with clients, lawyers, and judges. So, do your best and be respectful and kind while you do it. The legal community talks. The better your reputation, the better you are going to be able to engage with people as you advocate for your clients.  This job is challenging enough. Do not add to those challenges, for yourself or for others, by being unnecessarily difficult. 

There is no such thing as overprepared. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Listen before jumping to conclusions.

WHAT DO YOU WISH THE PUBLIC KNEW ABOUT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM?

A lot more can and should be done to educate the public about the mechanics of our justice system, starting in schools at a young age. As a broader idea, justice means different things to us depending on our place in the system. What members of the public see as justice can change over time or even from case to case. When my daughters were younger, I volunteered at career night with their guiding unit. We were asked to wear our uniforms, so I wore my robes. One very excited young girl came running over and asked me if I was a wizard. Alas, no. But, being a wizard might make the idea of justice a bit more attainable some days. The reality is that many people come to our courts after suffering failures from other public systems, including failures grounded in systemic inequalities. The justice system is constantly evolving and always trying its best to be responsive to our citizens, but can only do so much in the face of such external forces. When we think about the justice system, we should be thinking about more than just courtrooms. We should also be thinking about all the stops people make along the way, before and after court, and how we can make our societies more just, generally.