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Marion Superior Court judge
Valparaiso University School of Law, 1998
Why did you decide to enter the legal profession?
It may sound silly, but it was Schoolhouse Rock’s “I’m Just a Bill.” In the 1970s Saturday morning cartoons had a huge impact on me. Of course, you don’t have to be a lawyer to write laws, but at age four or five, I didn’t know that. I just knew I wanted to be involved in law.
If you hadn’t pursued a legal career, what would you be doing?
I would love to be a literature teacher and an author.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
When I was five years old, I was told not to walk on the new hot tar on my driveway, especially in bare feet. I did not follow that advice. I burned the hell out of myself and had to go to the hospital and was laid up for a month. Whether you like it or not, you should consider all advice everyone gives you.
What makes a good lawyer/judge?
I think a good judge listens, listens, and then listens some more. They need to consider that while they may be on bench every day, the parties in front of them are usually there for one specific case, and that case may mean everything to them. As a judge you need to put yourself in a situation where you can understand everyone’s position. You can only do that by listening to who they are and what they want.
What is something you wish people knew about lawyers?
Lawyers and judges are just people. There is nothing mystical about us. Simply because someone has put Honorable or Esquire in their name doesn’t mean they don’t go home and play videogames or wear Vikings hoodies every day.
Tell us about a “lesson learned” moment you’ve had in your career.
A few years ago, I was pretty stretched as to various things I was involved in. If someone asked me to do something, I always said yes. Then a good friend and colleague noticed I was exhausted, and she said something incredible. “You don’t let people into your bank account and steal your money, so why do you let them into your life and steal your time.” She was right. Since then, I have chosen to say yes to things I want to do, and not just everything that came across my plate. It has made a huge difference in my life.
Tell us something surprising about you.
I am a huge Deadhead. I have been to over 100 Grateful Dead shows (the real Grateful Dead, not the spinoffs), including Jerry Garcia’s last show at Soldier Field in ’95. While it may be a fashionable opinion, my favorite Grateful Dead show is Cornell ’77, with its stunning version of “Scarlet Begonias.”
Who is someone who has inspired you in your career?
My first legal boss, Drew Young at Young & Young. He gave a college kid a chance to really experience what the daily life of someone working in the law was like. I loved it, and after that there was no turning back for me.
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