Home: Los Angeles, CA. Age: 50. Birthplace: San Bernadino County, CA. Profession: Trial lawyer. Organization: Irell & Manella. Title: Partner. Significant other: My wife, Rukshan.
Current project: Cofounder of a biotechnology company, developing a treatment for high-unmet-need cancers. Recent recognition: Intellectual Property Law360 Trial MVP from 2023 to 2025. Recent professional development: Exploring the interface between artificial intelligence and pharmaceutical development. Latest accomplishment: “Litigator of the Year” by The American Lawyer. Latest contribution to others: Serving on the board of Pomona College. Recent travel or adventure: Visited my daughter in Shanghai.
Personality profile: Gritty, but nervous. What one word would your closest friend use to describe you? A dreamer. Moral compass: What would my oldest daughter think of my decision? What is your greatest joy? My family and friends. What occupation, other than your own, do you most admire? Teachers. What is at the top of your bucket list? Bhutan. What is your go-to workout? A 15-minute HIIT workout with weights.
What was your first paying job? Working on a Christmas tree farm. What was your favorite college course? My first-year writing seminar taught by Prof. Arden Reed. What book have you repeatedly read? Love in the Time of Cholera. Besides your parents, who has had the greatest influence on your life? My wife. What’s the best advice you received in your career? This is a team sport. What personal circumstance has had the greatest influence on your life? The birth of my daughters.
What change would you like to see in the world?
A more intense focus on healthcare for those in need.
What message do you want to send out into the world? Love finds a way. What mega-trend most excites you? TikTok. What mega-trend most concerns you? TikTok. Where do you think the next big idea will come from? India.
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? True Grit. What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? Paul Giamatti. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A nuclear physicist. What book would you want your grandchildren to read as adults? Billy Budd, by Herman Melville. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? Baby pictures of my kids. If you had to give up your career, what would you do instead? Become a cook. What day in your life would you choose to re-live? The day I got married.
Personal motto: Do not be afraid. Desired epitaph: Father.
