Trial Magazine

“I am white, female, an attorney, and a single mother—but ‘single mother’ is the intersection that crashed into who I was or thought I was. Law degree or not, I found myself applying for food stamps because I could not find a job that enabled me to scrape by while keeping another human alive. I became painfully aware that I was still privileged compared to others—and more determined to escape my situation. Today, I recognize the dire consequences others face due to their intersections of identity, and it fuels me to keep fighting.”

Tara Kirsten King, SWMW Law, St. Louis, MO

“Growing up in a blue-collar family in rural Oklahoma, it was evident that the deck was stacked against those without connections or resources. I knew that to be the trial lawyer I wanted to be, I needed to build a base of experience—that’s why I became an active duty Army JAG, then a federal prosecutor focusing on human trafficking, and a part-time tribal court and municipal judge. I now use these experiences in private practice to step into any courtroom with confidence.”

Robert “Bobby Don“ Gifford, Gifford Law, Oklahoma City, OK

“Growing up mixed race—I’m half-Korean and half-European—I had to learn to communicate with diverse people who came from different places. I never completely fit in, but this was a blessing in disguise. It’s helped me relate to all sorts of people from different ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds. I find this invaluable when talking to jurors and consider it one my greatest strengths as a trial lawyer.”

Chris Johnson, Waters Kraus, Dallas, TX

“My experiences as a queer, cisgender man have instilled a deep sense of compassion and social justice in me, and this drives my work as an attorney. I think true social justice begins with understanding the lived experiences of people who are facing injustice and then using the law as a tool to elevate their experiences and their voices. I use my own experiences of injustice to empathize with my clients and build the trust and rapport I need.”

Jeff Kosbie, Gibbs Law Group, Oakland, CA

“My parents passed away unexpectedly when I was eight. My mother had changed her will on the day of her death, throwing my sister and me into a two-year court case over who would be our guardian. The state assigned me a lawyer, and it was the first time in my life I can remember feeling like someone was actually listening to me. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a lawyer too. Later, I became involved in the fight for women’s and LGBT rights. During one of my first cases as a law clerk—involving a young woman paralyzed from the side effects of her birth control—I realized I wanted to be an advocate for people fighting against corporations and for those who feel like they don’t have a voice.”

Ashleigh Raso, Meshbesher & Spence, Minneapolis, MN