Jess Brown '16
What did you do before law school and what do you do now?
I had a career in tech before law school. As a developer, it was my responsibility to design and code systems that changed how organizations operate. Now I use my tech expertise as the Nevada-based associate for a new, innovative Washington DC firm. We employ virtual platforms to communicate with each other and clients. We also use data tools and AI for our real property, contractual, and business matters.
What does success as an attorney mean to you?
I measure success by client satisfaction and the ability to give back to the legal community. Clients want positive results and my simple formula for that is (1) regular and open communications with clients, (2) an impeccable work product, and (3) a reputation for integrity.For the legal community, I share timely news about local courts and tech-related issues on my blog at suasor.legal. Topics include emergency court closures, creating a virtual practice, and attorneys’ duty to disclose data and security breaches.
Do you enjoy reading and if so, what do you recommend?
The people who know me best say I’m an extrovert who loves books. This month I’m reading Legality by Yale Law professor Scott Shapiro. In it, he lays out a witty defense of classic jurisprudence and legal positivism that is, surprisingly, charming and funny. I’ve also been reading books by experts in data privacy, cyber security, and the Internet of Things. If that interests you, check out The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet by Jeff Kosseff, a cyber security expert at the United States Naval Academy, and Nobody’s Victim by Carrie Goldberg, a Manhattan attorney who focuses on internet-related torts. Last but not least, Kate Manne’s book, Down Girl, is a provocative examination of Americans' changing worldviews around sex and gender. Manne uses the tools of analytic philosophy to parse current events and our society’s responses to them.
Do you have any mottos?
“Never, never, never give in.” ― Winston S. Churchill