As is typical for most elementary school-age children, for as long as I can remember I wanted to be either an astronaut or a lawyer specializing in receivership law.
Just kidding, but the astronaut dream is accurate: SpaceX, if you are reading this and looking for a middle-aged man to command your Starship that is of average physique, with a rudimentary understanding of astronomy, no real science background, and average math skills (unless you ask my fourth grade daughter; stupid common core), then please call me.
I grew up in a small town outside of Sacramento, which has probably quadrupled in size since my youth. My mother was a family law commissioner turned private practitioner, and my father was a law school graduate who pivoted to real estate development. They are the kind of people who seem to have found a twenty-fifth hour in the day. Not only were my parents highly accomplished in their respective careers, but also they were heavily involved in the community. They probably needed that extra hour in the day because they had seven children – my two older sisters, my younger sister, my three younger brothers, and me. My parents emphasized the importance of education and community, and apparently really pushed the University of California public school system, as five of us ended up going to U.C. Berkeley, and the other two went to U.C. Davis and U.C. San Diego, respectively. My siblings are all impressive individuals. I cannot brag about them enough. But, I digress as this article is supposed to be about me (truthfully, my family would be a more entertaining read). Suffice to say, the focus on hard work and community that my family instilled in me from a young age has been a key component of my adult and professional life.
I took a typical path through college, and majored in Japanese language studies. After college, I moved to Los Angeles for a year, where I met my wonderful wife, Lauren. I was accepted to the JET Program to teach English in Japan. I lived in a small town outside of Osaka for a year teaching elementary school children, and my favorite part was traveling and integrating myself into a new and extraordinary community halfway around the world. After a year in Japan, I returned to California to start law school.
After law school, I worked for a few years at a midsize law firm that specializes in municipal law, before being hired by Buchalter in 2009.
At that time, the Great Recession was in full swing, and it was then that I was introduced to receivership law. To say that I was trained by some of the best receivership legal practitioners in California would be a massive understatement. My mentors included Michael Wachtell, Jeffrey Wruble, Scott Smith, Barry Smith, and Richard Ormond, all of whom have honed their craft in their own unique, but extremely successful, ways. I was also introduced to some of the best receivers in the country – too many to name, but you know who you are. Through them, I was introduced to every type of receivership imaginable and immediately came to appreciate the versatility and benefits that receivers can offer to complex situations. An effective receiver will be able to create a solution for problems that most would perceive as a solutionless. Receiverships afford a component of flexibility and creativity that is often not available in typical litigation contexts. The receivership world has become my professional home.
As much as I enjoy my work, my wife Lauren, and my two children, Marlena and Katherine, are my true driving force. Lauren is an exceptional artist and muralist. I have exclaimed on many occasions that she is better at art than anything I have ever been at in my entire life. She should also probably be credited with keeping our family functioning. My girls are my ski buddies and accomplices in mischief. They question everything and are always exploring. The practice of law can be extremely demanding, but they are always there to support me. That said, the last two years I have received a “World’s Greatest Dad, Runner Up,” mug for Father’s Day, so maybe they are trying to tell me something. If you can’t find me in the office, or playing with my girls, I am probably doing woodworking or (in the winter) skiing.
There you have it. A little about me. Go tell your friends.