A good litigator is believable.  A great litigator is compelling.  The difference can be the margin between winning and losing. 

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I learned the importance of being compelling, not just believable, on a completely different stage than the courtroom.  From twelve years old until twenty, I was a television and film actress. I learned very quickly that my job was not simply memorizing words on a page but connecting with my audience.  After a three-year role in a network show – one that coincidentally filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina – I needed new challenges and a mission.

 

I went back to college, graduated with the highest GPA in my program, and earned the Presidential Honors Scholarship at the Charleston School of Law.  

I was shocked that my acting career would be so useful in the practice of law.  During my first summer in law school, I was a student prosecutor right here in Wilmington, trying criminal cases in front of judges and juries.  I realized that my ability to speak publicly without fear would be an asset I would use for years to come.  I also fell back in love with a community that already felt like home to me.

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When I embarked on this new role, I didn’t think the skills I learned as an actress would translate to the legal profession.  I was wrong.  An attorney is an advocate, and to be an effective advocate, you must be more than just believable.  You must be compelling.