Work closely with a team of attorneys, social workers, and community advocates to provide direct legal services to foster youth and underrepresented communities. Advocate for students with disabilities in Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings. Protect disabled students from discrimination with Section 504 Plan advocacy. File due process complaints and appear at mediation and hearings, on behalf of students with the Office of Administrative Hearings to resolve special education disputes. Represent youth in school discipline proceedings, expulsion appeals, and expedited due process. Staff walk-in Medical Legal Partnership clinic, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Provide special education consults for the Department of Family and Children Services. Reduce barries to acces by ensuring interpretation for non-English speaking clients.

Work with a team of attorneys, paralegals, and support staff in a busy litigation practice. Foster and promote inclusive and cohesive culture between clients and support staff. Mentor junior attorneys, interns, paralegals, and legal support staff. Engage directly with managing attorney and peers to steer case management. Manage case files, calendar, billing, and progress with case management software system. Interview and counsel clients to determine best litigation/negotiation strategies. Educate clients on legal obligations, duties, and rights; manage client expectations. Support, coach, mentor, and prepare clients for direct and cross examination. Consult forensic accountants to determine community and separate property interests. Gather and synthesize information from multiple experts to analyze complex issues. Oversee data collection of required financial disclosures and discovery responses. Compare and contrast opposing party disclosures and recommend division of assets. Analyze opposing party incomes to determine temporary and permanent support values. Propound and respond to discovery requests, including interrogatories and subpoenas. Negotiate with opposition to reach settlements and draft binding agreements.

Established law partnership, specializing in divorce, division of assets, child custody, visitation, support, attorney fees, domestic violence restraining orders, and all areas of family law.LITIGATIONProvided full service litigation counsel, from petition to judgment. Interviewed and counseled clients to determine best litigation/negotiation strategies. Applied unique facts to statutes and case law to draft requests for orders, memoranda of points and authorities, and trial briefs. Analyzed data from subject matter experts to make recommendations on division of assets and long term support figures. Made court appearances to advocate client positions. Drafted final judgment paperwork. MEDIATIONActed as a third party neutral to mediate divorce and custody disputes. Drafted global settlement agreements, judicial council forms, and facilitated final resolution between adverse parties.

Provided support to lead attorney in a busy family law practice. Drafted Requests for Orders, Ex Parte Requests for Temporary Emergency Orders, Responsive pleadings, etc. Appeared at hearings and settlement conferences on behalf of clients.

Worked primarily as a contract attorney for family law and estate planning firms. Made special appearances for attorneys with conflicts. Drafted legal pleadings and judicial council forms, as needed.

Drafted legal pleadings including, a motion to set aside a mediated marital settlement agreement, opening and closing trial briefs, motions for need based attorney fees, and motions for sanctions. Worked with clients to complete Schedules of Assets and Debts, and Preliminary Declarations of Disclosures in high asset dissolutions. Drafted and responded to various forms of discovery, including subpoenas, and form and special interrogatories.

Assisted facilitator's office with flow of self-represented litigants. Drafted Findings and Orders After Hearing.

Investigated post-conviction claims of innocence by reviewing case histories, appellate briefs, transcripts, medical records, and other documents. Drafted legal memoranda, and letters to attorneys and clients. Reviewed letters from inmates, and responded, informing them how to proceed with their cases.

Appeared in criminal court as a California Bar Certified Law Student for the City of San Jose in opposition to Pitchess motions. Researched and wrote various pleadings, including Pitchess objections, demurrers, and discovery responses. Researched and wrote office memoranda regarding tort law, environmental law, civil procedure, and remedies.

Judicial Intern for the Family Law Bench. Researched and wrote bench memoranda regarding procedural and substantive family law, i.e. constructive service of process, Uniform Parentage Act law. Clinical Intern with the Family Law Facilitator’s Office. Interviewed and assisted self-represented litigants interested in filing petitions, responses, orders to show cause, etc.

Managed family owned flower shop. Designed flower arrangements for retail sale and delivery. Consulted with brides to customize wedding bouquets, boutonnières, corsages, and centerpieces for weddings and receptions.