Duke University gets a lot of attention for its basketball program, but what was your takeaway from your undergraduate experience there?

For better or worse, basketball will probably always dominate the public’s perception of Duke. It’s certainly how I first heard about Duke. And while I will always appreciate the excitement of Cameron Indoor, when I reflect on my time there now, my thoughts turn to Duke’s more quiet, lesser-known places. After a brief stint in Duke’s engineering school, I rediscovered my love for books. So my fondest memories of Duke are about the books that made me who I am

What made you decide to leave your native Colorado for the Silver State and Boyd?

Moving to a new city in a new state was a difficult decision. Leaving behind friends, family, relationships; leaving behind the known for the unknown. But moving to a new city in a new state is also a rare opportunity, one that I didn't know if and when I would get again. I had been in a fifty square mile area of Colorado for my whole life. Staying there for law school would have made it unlikely that I would ever leave. Carpe diem.

Having earned your undergrad degree at Colorado State, do you now have divided

You spent many years working as a legal researcher for the Nevada Attorney General's Office (AGO). How did that experience inform/reinforce your decision to apply to law school?

I loved working at the AGO. I got hands on experience working on a lot of federal lawsuits, and while I loved working in law, my time at the AG made me realize I wanted to be more than a paralegal and I wanted to do more than help answer discovery. I worked on inmate civil rights litigation defense on a team with some really amazing litigators, and it was the deputies I worked for who encouraged me to finally apply to

What are the upsides and downsides of life as a professional poker player?
 
A downside is the ups and downs — the volatility of results. I specialized in poker tournaments, which are characterized by frequent famines and rare feasts. Each tournament of the kind I was playing lasts three to six or more days, but only 10-15% of the entrants come away with any prize money. I enjoyed the challenges of matching wits with opponents and of mastering the subtleties of tournament play.

Why, at this point in your life, did you decide to give law school a go?

I was feeling a lack of intellectual

So your family has been in Nevada since 1866, yes?

The exact date my family arrived in Nevada depends on which relative’s story you want to believe, but the most believable story is that we arrived in 1866. Regardless of which story, we have been here a long time, and I am proud to say I am a fifth generation Nevadan.

How did a guy from Reno come to row crew at the University of Wisconsin?

I had never rowed nor seen a racing boat, but I walked onto the team after my coaches approached me at freshman orientation, like they do to every tall, athletic-looking person. I was lucky enough to make

What did you enjoy most about your collegiate tennis career, first at Morehead State and then at UNLV?
 
At Morehead, I most enjoyed the camaraderie and small campus atmosphere. Once I transferred to UNLV, I still felt a camaraderie with my teammates, but I missed the small campus community; however, I greatly appreciate the opportunities that UNLV’s larger campus provided me. My time at Boyd has proven to be the best of both worlds -- the resources of a larger institution, but the small community with friendships and relationships that will last a lifetime.
 
Is there a particular tennis

How, if at all, has your experience as a college policy debater helped you in law school?

College debate is a team-oriented and research-intensive activity. I spent each year focused on a topic that asked whether the federal government should change public policy in a specific area of law. Because we spent so much time researching, I became familiar with a lot of topics discussed in law school. More importantly, it taught me how to prepare and analyze arguments. We would do so in a way similar to how you might litigate: researching our arguments, preparing for our opponent’s, and thinking

Speak a little of the bond you share with the cohort with whom you've spent the last four years in Boyd's part-time evening program.

Initially I expected my cohort to be so diverse that we couldn’t create a bond. I was wrong. Within a few days, differences were cast aside and we began working together. Classmates became co-counsels and we’ve continued supporting each other throughout our four years.

You've been very active in the Student Bar Association and La Voz [Boyd's Latino student association] over the years. What have those experiences meant to you?

Simply stated, La Voz was my

Your father always told you, “Conquer everything with passion and a smile." Would you say you've done so with law school?

I would say that I would not have gotten through law school without passion for what I do. It was challenging, and I may not have been smiling the entire time, but my father’s words always guided me and helped me through the difficult times.

And you've done it as a part-time student working full-time. What's the key to that?

The key to getting through law school while still working full-time is to take some time for yourself each day. My escape was the gym -- having one

Tell us about your work at Zappos.

Working at Zappos is great. It’s not work as much as it’s going to hang out a clubhouse where you have a couple of responsibilities besides just having a good time. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had working. I’ve had a couple of roles at Zappos. Right now, I am a Senior Systems Analyst in Finance. Before that, I worked in the tax department on Sales and Use Tax. If you ever have a minute (or hour), I can definitely make your eyes glaze over talking about sales tax.

You came to Boyd with interest in tax or intellectual property law. Where does your interest