I knew I wanted to be an attorney after high school in Ireland and thought I would enjoy being a barrister, since they try cases in the Irish and English courts. I have always admired the public servant aspect of working in a law firm serving clients. Getting the verdict you want at trial is rewarding because you’re essentially presenting a clear statement of what happened and making the jury understand and agree with your client’s position. One case I remember was a wrongful discharge claim against J C Penney, my former employer. After a five-week trial in the Orange County Superior Court, the jury returned a defense verdict after two hours. I like to think that the jury needed to understand and agree that the company made a tough, but valid, business decision that was not discriminatory. Now that I am practicing employment law on the plaintiff’s side, in both mediation and at trial, I still bring out the facts to achieve the right result for my client. I enjoy employment cases involving harassment or retaliation where my client has been bullied in the workplace. I see my role as leveling the playing field so my client gets a fair fight. I like helping clients figure out the right solutions and getting results that bring a final, favorable conclusion to the problem.