Graduation Year: 2001
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Undergraduate & Previous Work Experience:
Undergrad: Skidmore College, BA Music
Previous Work Experience: (legal) – Motschenbacher & Blattner, LLP, 2003-2011;
Brislawn Lofton PLLC, 2002
Who is your current employer?
Day & Koch LLP
What is your particular area of interest pertaining to law?
I’m a small business lawyer with an emphasis on intellectual property law. My clients work in a variety of creative industries.
Were you involved with any extracurricular activities while at Lewis & Clark?
PILP auction
What do you like to do for fun?
See live music
Favorite places in Portland?
Mt Tabor park, the gardens at the L&C upper campus, Oaks Park skating rink, Aladdin Theater
Why did you pick Lewis & Clark Law School?
The beautiful campus, I loved Portland, and the law school community seemed well-rounded.
What did you like most about Lewis & Clark?
The supportive environment
What has been your favorite professional experience so far?
Representing Mississippi Studios (and working with fellow law school alum Jim Brunberg) in an Oregon Employment Department (OED) audit, and getting a law overturned that was detrimental to musicians. When Mississippi Studios was audited by the OED, the agency held that all of the musicians who had ever played at the venue during the 3 year audit period were Mississippi Studio’s employees. This list of “employees” included internationally renowned acts, and well-known musicians such as Michael Stipe, Kristin Hersh, and Michelle Shocked. The OED’s position was based on an old Oregon law that provided that when hiring a musician in any context, unless there was a written contract in place that contained very specific provisions as outlined in the statute, the musician was deemed an employee of the person or venue hiring them. Jim Brunberg and I worked with other industry leaders and Senator Chip Shields to get this law repealed, and now the general independent contractor analysis of ORS 670.600 applies to musicians, too.
Any advice for current students?
First, it’s true when they tell you that your reputation as a lawyer begins on your first day of law school. Your law school friends and contacts will be an important part of your growth as an attorney, both personally and in the development of your practice.
Second, figure out what your strengths are, and shape your practice accordingly. For example, if you are very social and don’t mind networking, a smaller private practice may be a better fit for you than for someone who is more of an introvert.