What motivated you to pursue law?  My parents were the driving factor for betterment, they believed that the best gift they could give their children was a good education.  All three of my brothers went into dentistry, however I never had a calling for that profession.  Instead I enjoyed reading, writing and was drawn to the English language.  As a young immigrant I learned English by watching tv shows like “Nightcourt” and “Cheers” and oddly enough these early influences drew me to eventually working in law and language.  Essentially my favorite subject in law-school was contracts. I am fascinated by the construction, the interpretation and the enforcement of a contract as a necessary staple to our society.

Why did you switch from insurance defense to representing families? As an attorney we are trained to represent either side.  In truth I’ve always sought to shed light on issues of justice and when I worked for insurance companies I strived to enforce the contract, which included fighting fraud and a strict interpretation of contractual language.  When I switched to representing the insured I applied the same logic.  However with the advantage of having represented insurance companies for so many years, I know when and how to push for the enforcement of your contractual rights.  I fight to keep insurance companies accountable to the agreement they entered into with you and your family.  I still seek to strictly enforce the contract, only now I apply the advantages you have as an insured.

Does your family’s immigration story influence your work? Everyday.  I am not the product of nepotism, I have worked for my degree, experience and knowledge.  However it wasn’t until I became a homeowner myself that I fully came to understand that it is not only a place for housing of our privacy rights but also an investment and nest egg for our collective family.   For most immigrant families who are fleeing persecution or seek financial stability a home in America is the cornerstone of their accomplishments and their personal sanctuary.  This is why it is such an injustice, when your home is damaged by storm, an unexpected accident, or any other calamity and the insurance company you compensated to properly address these matters reneges on the agreement.

What do you find most rewarding about helping homeowners?  Giving homeowners hope that the contract they invested in to pull them through tough times was a sound investment and not just an unfulfilled promise.  An insurance contract should always be an investment in you and your goals and not mere profit for insurance companies.