1. How do you define your legal practice and typical clients?
I define my practice as a partnership between myself and the client to accomplish strategic objectives while minimizing legal risk. I work with a variety of people from entrepreneurs to medium-sized privately held businesses across different industries. With that said, I do have a keen interest in both the manufacturing and professional services industries.
2. Tell us about your legal career journey. What made you become a lawyer and how did you land at Practus?
My legal journey has been a long and windy road. At age seven, I decided that I wanted to be a lawyer.
Um, at age seven you wanted to be a lawyer? Shouldn’t you have been playing video games or wearing a cape and catching bad guys, or something?
I saw my uncle open his law practice with a former Hillsborough County Assistant State Attorney, and it was love at first sight. As I learned more about practicing law, I realized it was the path for me. Back then, I thought I was going to be a prosecutor. The closest I came to that was an internship at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office during the summer of my 3L year.
The root of my decision to become a lawyer was a desire to serve my community, which I initially believed meant becoming a prosecutor. However, I found a path in corporate law that proved to be the right fit for me. I have been fortunate to discover that I am better suited to serving the people and businesses that form the backbone of our economy.
I feel very privileged that clients entrust me with their legal needs and the needs of their businesses. I always aim to overdeliver and continue earning their trust.
So now we know how you got into law. What brought you to Practus?
I learned about Practus when I started looking to expand my reach and capabilities. Simply put, the vision of a technology-forward platform and a deep bench of experience to provide unparalleled value resonates deeply with me. When you couple that with an inclusive and collegial culture, Practus offered everything I was looking for.
3. What about the Practus model serves you as a legal professional, and as a person?
Whether as a person or a professional, my goal in life is to add value. As an attorney, I look to provide quality service that far exceeds my fees, and I love the entrepreneurial spirit inherent in the Practus model. It allows me to be creative with fee structures instead of forcing a client into a one-size-fits-all model. My clients receive cost-effective legal solutions and unparalleled value.
And personally? How does the Practus model work for you?
The Practus model allows me to provide the utmost value because I can spend time with my family and provide quality work. As a father to a very energetic toddler, it means the world to have dinner and play time with him most nights before putting him to bed rather than fighting Charlotte traffic just to say goodnight.
That family time allows me to approach my work with a refreshed mind so I can work efficiently and provide those I serve with a high-quality work product.
4. What is the one thing you wish people about to hire a lawyer with your expertise knew?
Being overly aggressive is not always the way to successful resolution of the issue. You will find the utmost value in pragmatic counsel that can guide you through a solution.
5. Sometimes our best quality is also the one that get us in tough situations. Tell us about your best quality and how it has mostly worked for you, except that one time …
I would say that my best quality is my ability to communicate with just about anyone. Through my experience both in and outside of practice, I’ve had the opportunity to meet people from many different walks of life, and those experiences have allowed me to relate to most of the people I serve.
Whether the matter is transactional or litigious in nature, I listen carefully and provide pragmatic advice. Sometimes it’s not what my clients want to hear, but I want them to leave our conversations with the information they need to make well-reasoned business decisions.
6. When you’re not working at Practus, what’s keeping you busy? Any cool hobbies or hidden talents we don’t know about?
My toddler and wife keep me pretty busy outside of work at Practus. When I can come up for air, I’m either hitting golf balls, reading about developments in business law, or out in the community at volunteer or networking events. Nothing too exciting here.
What would your colleagues be totally shocked (or mildly surprised) to find out about you? Do you kill at karaoke? Write political thrillers? Watch Star Trek (original) reruns?
My colleagues would probably be shocked to find out that I played a year of club lacrosse in college, where we competed against several Division I schools’ club teams. My Southern accent and overall lack of athletic ability don’t readily give that away.
Bonus Question: What would you do if you weren’t an attorney?
I would protect and serve my country as a Special Agent in the FBI. I know that’s ambitious because the FBI is elite, but I’ve never shied away from competition. As a kid, many people said I was always shooting for the stars, and I haven’t stopped since.
Somehow, that doesn’t surprise us.
