U.S. Department
of Justice
NRS People
What I Do at NRS
I defend the United States and its agencies in their public land use decisions against challenges brought under an array of federal laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act. I joined NRS in 2020 as an Honors Attorney straight out of law school and was thrown right into a variety of cases, which mainly revolve around the inevitable conflicts that arise from people’s disparate uses of public lands. These uses can include energy production, mining, grazing, recreation, conservation, and Tribal uses. My day to day includes case management, negotiating with opposing counsel, writing motions and briefs, taking and defending depositions, trial preparation, and making oral arguments in federal district courts across the country.
One of my favorite parts of my job is having the opportunity to go on site visits. One such site visit, depicted in my photo, involved a five-day rafting and camping trip on a remote river in Alaska, which required us and our gear to be helicoptered in and out. The case dealt with determining who owned the submerged lands under the river. I will likely be taking another such trip in a similar case to a glacial lake, also in Alaska.
What I love about my work at NRS is that it allows me to constantly learn and grow as an attorney, and always provides new challenges and sometimes even a bit of adventure.
What I Love about NRS
I joined NRS through the Attorney General’s Honors Program in September 2018, and before that I worked as a legal assistant and paralegal in EES for over eight years. NRS is a special place because of the many opportunities to gain litigation experience, and even more so because of the people who work here.
Within my first four months on the job as a new lawyer, I defended a Forest Service decision to implement fuel treatments and remove dead trees—an important project to reduce the risk of severe, high intensity wildfires and improve safety in the Klamath National Forest. I argued against a motion for a preliminary injunction in court and ultimately succeeded against the challenge brought under the National Environmental Policy Act and National Forest Management Act. In addition to oral arguments and motions practice, I’ve taken and defended depositions, worked with experts, and led two trials on behalf of the United States. Being able to gain this type of experience so soon after starting truly makes NRS unique.
I have enjoyed my time here not only because of the interesting work but also because NRS has exceptionally talented attorneys who are generous with their time to mentor. The group of paralegals and legal assistants we have are also valuable resources, offering reliable help with a can-do attitude. And the NRS leadership provides the necessary support to navigate a healthy work-life balance. I consider myself lucky to be a trial attorney in NRS and cannot imagine working anywhere else.
My Path to NRS
As children, we’re often asked “what do you want to be when you grow up?” I was asked this question while in high school, and I wasn’t sure how to answer because my only interests at the time were playing basketball and singing. I went back to my early childhood, where I remembered being invigorated by topics involving the legal field. I was raised in a household where both parents had careers in the legal field; my mom worked for the FBI, and my dad was a federal police officer. Even though I had an interest in the legal field, it wasn’t until my time at Morgan State University that my passion became clearly defined. I took various classes related to the legal field while at MSU, which furthered my interest. Afterwards, I continued my education at Kaplan University and finally, received my paralegal certificate at the College of Southern Maryland Center for Legal Studies. Shortly after completing the paralegal course, I wanted to find a rewarding and challenging agency to start my career and continue to learn and grow with. During my search, I came across an ad for a legal assistant position with NRS. I thought my skills and education aligned nicely with the position, and after some preliminary research, I learned that NRS is ranked as one of the top places to work in the Department of Justice. I know I’ve made the right decision because working with NRS has afforded me the opportunity for a long-term career and to learn and work with many talented legal assistants, paralegals, and attorneys.