AGE: 33
Attorney, Connolly Gallagher LLP (Wilmington)
Why should you be chosen for DBT 40? Since returning to the area in 2011, I have embedded myself in the Wilmington community, working as a litigator by day and as a community advocate by night. I have met so many amazing people and have had countless opportunities to grow, learn, and lead. My journey is evidence of how Delaware is different, in a good way. In our community, those who strive to make a difference have the power to make change. I hope to be chosen for DBT 40 as a recognition that young professionals who work hard and follow their passions are part of what makes our little state great.
Professional accomplishments: I focus my practice on litigation and government law, including corporate disputes, fiduciary litigation, breaches of contract, land use, Freedom of Information Act, and constitutional law. Prior to joining Connolly Gallagher, I served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Paul R. Wallace on the Superior Court of the State of Delaware and have served as Deputy Attorney General in the Appeals Division of the Delaware Department of Justice. In my prior positions, I gained experience in appellate practice and complex commercial litigation cases. In my current role, I have successfully represented corporate clients in the Delaware Court of Chancery and Delaware Superior Court. I have prepared briefs and amicus briefs for the Delaware Supreme Court. I was one of eight individuals chosen for the District Court’s Federal Trial Practice Seminar in 2017. I graduated with Honors from Brown University in 2008 and received my J.D. in 2012 from Boston University School of Law, where I served on the Public Interest Law Journal and was awarded a post-graduate Public Interest Fellowship.
Leadership examples: I have led the Junior League of Wilmington in a year-long process to choose a new community outreach issue area. I led a task force of women who were charged with researching and vetting potential issue areas, such as hunger and homelessness, to determine gaps in service in our community and to determine whether the Junior League could work effectively to address those gaps. As a result, our organization of more than 350 women has decided to address period poverty in Wilmington and work to ensure that all women and girls have equitable access to period supplies.
With another organization, Spur Impact, my colleague and I determined a need in Wilmington regarding supporting young professionals as they work to develop in their careers and to be engaged citizens. In its first year, our start-up nonprofit, led by a millennial board, has received major grant awards and impacted over a thousand young professionals in Delaware through initiatives like the Millennial Summit.
Professionally, I am a mentor to young attorneys. I have served as the head of the Women and the Law Section of the Bar Association. I also serve on the Delaware Commission for Law and Technology, an arm of the Supreme Court charged with educating the profession on the ethics involved with the use of ever-evolving technologies in the legal field. In addition, I served on the Delaware Bar Foundation which makes grants to support legal aid organizations.
Community service: Gov. John Carney appointed me this past April to the Public Integrity Commission, which administers and implements Delaware ethics and financials disclosure laws. I am a member of the Rodney Inn of Court and the American Bar Association, and I served on the leadership of the Women and the Law Section and the Young Lawyers Section of the Delaware State Bar Association. I volunteer with the District of Delaware Federal Civil Panel and as a guardian ad litem with the Office of the Child Advocate.
Guilty pleasure? Ice cream.
Currently Reading: “Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity,” by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf
What did you want to be when you grew up? President.
What’s your next big goal? Representing my community as a senator in Dover.
Go-to song: “The Man” by Taylor Swift.
First job? University of Delaware parking office.
What advice would you give to yourself 10 years ago? It feels like you’ll be old in 10 years, but you won’t be!
Family and education:I live with my husband, Olin, and our daughters, Ellen (2.5) and Alice (10 months). I earned my bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Brown University in 2008 and my juris doctor in 2012 from Boston University School of Law.
