EDUCATION — Growing up in The Bronx, I didn’t know any lawyers but thought I might want to be one. After graduating from Haverford College, I spent two years as a litigation paralegal at Covington & Burling, a large corporate law firm in Washington, D.C., in order to learn more about what lawyers did every day. That work led me to attend The University of Chicago Law School, where I graduated with Honors, was a member of the University of Chicago Law Review, and worked for the MacArthur Justice Center.
JUDICIAL CLERKSHIPS — After law school, I worked for two federal judges — The Honorable Ed Carnes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and The Honorable Shira Scheindlin of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Those clerkships helped me to hone my legal writing skills and to understand how judges make decisions at both the trial and appellate level.
CORPORATE LITIGATION — The next stop in my legal career was as a litigation associate at Shea & Gardner, a mid-size corporate law firm in Washington, D.C. (Goodwin Procter later acquired Shea & Gardner to serve as its Washington, D.C. office.) The subject areas of my cases ranged widely, from mass tort and employment discrimination defense to contract disputes, administrative law, intellectual property and bankruptcy.
LOCAL PROSECUTOR — I moved to Oregon in the summer of 2004. My first job was in the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, trying approximately 50 felony and misdemeanor cases and appearing in court daily.
TRIAL LAWYER — I left the DA’s Office to work as a plaintiff’s trial lawyer with Elden Rosenthal and Mike Greene. The three of us spent a decade together before I took over the firm (renamed Devlin Law). While working with Elden and Mike, I litigated and tried civil rights, medical and legal negligence, and personal injury cases. I also briefed and argued cases at the Oregon Court of Appeals.
MEDIATOR — The breadth of my legal experience led me to the realization that I could help resolve disputes as a mediator. After getting training in Mediating Disputes from the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School Executive Education, I became a member of the Oregon Mediation Association. I mediate all types of civil cases.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND RECOGNITION — I have been listed in Oregon Super Lawyers since 2014 and in U.S. News – Best Lawyers since 2016. I was a member of the Oregon State Bar Committee on Uniform Civil Jury Instructions from 2013-2014 and chair of that committee in 2015. The Oregon Trial Lawyers Association has invited me to mentor young lawyers in a variety of ways, including as co-leader of an intensive multi-week seminar called Trial Lawyer Academy 201.
MINDFULNESS — I believe that a daily mindfulness practice can help lawyers cope with the difficulties of our challenging profession. In 2021, the Oregon State Bar Bulletin published my article “Mindfulness 101: Why and How to Get Started.” I lead a 60-90 minute CLE on this topic that qualifies for the Oregon State Bar’s CLE credit for Mental Health/Substance Abuse/Cognitive Impairment. I welcome the opportunity to speak with legal groups or law firms about mindfulness, because I think it is so important for lawyer well-being.
COMMUNITY SERVICE — From an early age, my teachers and mentors have reminded me that using my skills to help others should be my top priority. As part of this commitment, I proudly serve on the board of Path Home, a nonprofit organization that helps families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness by providing temporary shelter, rent assistance, and support services. My wife and I organize an annual summer fundraising drive to purchase backpacks and school supplies for the kids served by Path Home. Over the past eight years, this effort has provided school supplies for over 750 children.
HOBBIES — In my free time, I enjoy shooting pool competitively, reading narrative nonfiction and crime fiction, and watching the New York Yankees, Knicks, and Rangers.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION — You can view my complete resume here.