When I'm not a lawyer, I'm also a dancer. I practice a type of dance called Kuchipudi, which originates from the southern part of India. It's a storytelling form of dance, which dovetails with my work as a lawyer. Whether I'm talking to juries or judges, so much of my job is telling the story of our clients.

When I meet with my clients, I come in with an assumption that life is tough right now. And my starting point is trying to understand them. I believe every person in the world has a sense of dignity, and also that everyone is a human being just trying to make their way. So I try to give judges and juries a better understanding of who my client is, and how they got here.

In addition to helping clients with new cases, I also help clients who are on supervised release, which is like probation. Whether it's connecting them with resources for housing, transportation, mental health care, or anything else, I do whatever I can to support them. When people are struggling, they become demoralized, and I believe that demoralized people can't contribute to the community. So I try to fill that gap.