Alexandra Rizzo Arnold

Sponsored by RebuttalPR

What inspired you to specialize in plaintiff personal injury law?

It's such a funny story because I didn't want to be an attorney. I was really interested in forensics and wanted to work for a crime team, which was my focus in undergrad. But my boss, Joe Dever, posted a job on my undergrad's website, and I thought, "Okay, personal injury, medical malpractice. That sounds interesting." So, I started working for him. It's been almost 10 years now, and he really drew me in, even though I started as a legal assistant and then became a paralegal. He always included me in the casework, which I found fascinating, and we had several cases in my first year that really stuck with me. This experience changed my whole perspective on what I wanted to do with my future. I took the LSAT, ended up in law school, and here we are now. I think I had a really good experience and relationship working with Joe that I found inspiring. It made me want to move forward and stay here. He would have to literally pull me out kicking and screaming at this point because I love working here and love our cases.

What was that transition from paralegal to attorney like for you? How has your experience as a legal assistant, then a paralegal, and now an attorney shaped the way you practice?  Right. So, I actually went to school in the evening and worked full-time for Joe. I went to night school, which, you know, I have so much respect for people who went to school during the day and did the three years, but I personally believe that going to school in the evening, when you're there for 5 hours after you've already worked 8 or 9, is a different animal. So, I had to really focus and make a lot of sacrifices for my social life. I had many friends going out, but I couldn't because I had homework the entire weekend. I think having that dedication while I was a paralegal really shaped my work drive moving into becoming an attorney. Now, in my third year of practice, I'd like to think that I am just as dedicated and work just as hard. It's a kind of mental toughness that I had to develop and now maintain moving forward.

How has being a paralegal, often a more client-facing role, made you a better representative and advocate for your clients?

I think it really taught me active listening, which I believe is one of the most important skills for our job. I got to do a lot of clients interviewing and one-on-one interaction, which was helpful for me in law school, especially when I was in the family law clinic. It's really helped me with my approach to building rapport with our clients. My favorite part was my first year as an attorney because in all of the cases that I worked on as a paralegal, I got to then transition to work on as an attorney. Our clients were so nice and so happy for me to still be involved. So, active listening is the best skill that came out of that experience.

What is your practice area or a specific type of case or client that you are particularly passionate about working with?

I started out feeling most comfortable with our nursing home negligence cases. I feel very strongly about how our society treats the elderly, which could be a whole conversation on its own. But I am particularly taken with those cases. I also find premises liability cases intriguing. The firm I'm with specializes in boutique medical malpractice and personal injury, but every now and then we get a premises liability case that's really interesting. The fact patterns and the work are a bit different, and I find those fascinating. Overall, I really enjoy helping people, so whatever kind of case it is, I'm happy to work on it.

Can you tell us about a case that has had a significant impact on you, either personally or professionally? This could be a client you enjoyed working with or an exceptional outcome.

Yes. We recently had a case involving a gentleman in his thirties who went to an urgent care clinic a few times. He saw a physician assistant and a doctor, both of whom failed to diagnose that he had a clot in his leg, resulting in him losing the leg. There were complications with his below-knee amputation, and he required an above-knee amputation. During the litigation, it was the first time I encountered a doctor blatantly altering medical records. You could see clear as day that he went in, removed stuff, and then backdated it. It floored me. There were two separate mediations, and the case settled nicely for him. Despite having faced a lot of adversity in his life, he was very grounded and grateful to be alive. He told us, “I could lose this case tomorrow, and I'm okay with where I'm at.” He used the funds from his case to get state-of-the-art prosthetics, which allowed him to interact and play with his daughter, who was four years old. That always stuck with me. I email him from time to time to check in, and he always remembers me. The interactions with him alone are something that, on a bad day at work, remind me that it's all worth it. Any stress that comes with it is worth it because of that.

You mentioned earlier your experiences leading up to your current role. How do you approach building trust with your clients, especially during the initial conversation and when interactions are more remote?

I tend to be the same way all the time; how I interact with you guys is exactly how I would interact with a client. I think lawyers have a reputation for being like robots, and I am just not like that. I feel there has to be a level of being approachable, being emotional, and available to speak with people. So, I'm very upfront and honest. I don't try to be some formal business lady, always spewing out legal jargon. You know, I try to tell people, "I'm hearing what you're saying," and I think showing compassion and having continued and thorough communication with my clients goes a long way in building trust with one another.

What challenges have you faced as a female attorney in this field, and how have you overcome them? Additionally, have there been opportunities unique to being a female attorney that have helped advance your career, differing from those of your male counterparts?

Sure, I'll answer the second part first. I think I had a different path than many colleagues, and especially the people I graduated with, because I really got along well with Joe. So, I was in a unique position where I basically went to him during my second year of law school and said, "Look, I really like working here. I like working with you, and I'd like to stay here after, if that's an opportunity that presents itself." And he was all for it. So, I did. I don't think I faced the same kind of pressures as going and interviewing at a whole bunch of big firms because I knew I was going to be here. In that sense, I think I was very lucky just to fall into having the great working relationship that we did and making that work out. So, I don't always have the best answer for that question. But for the first part, I'll tell you that the biggest critique I think I've had is, I have routinely been told I am too nice. I don't come into cases with opposing counsel like a bulldog. Again, I'm like this all the time, and I think sometimes people are a little taken aback by it. Being told I'm too nice means a lot of people will talk over me, or they'll interrupt me. At first, that really used to bother me, and then I kind of realized, "You know, I don't have to change anything about myself; this is who I am." It builds trust with my clients, and I'll continue that into depositions. So, I've learned that when someone interrupts me now, what I'll do is I'll just be really quiet, and it'll be a heavy silence because usually it's a man, and I'm like, "Okay, well, I'll just wait." And then, when they say, "Well?" I go, "You interrupted me." So, I try to remain respectful throughout my time, whether it's with my clients, with defendants, or opposing counsel. But I have routinely been told that I am too nice. But as women, I think if you're more direct, then there are connotations that come with that. So, as you are women, I don't have to explain that to you, but you know that's kind of the fine line that's the hardest thing I've had, being an attorney and a woman; it's just that I'm too nice, and people think they can kind of railroad you.

How do you find the balance between being tough when necessary and maintaining your authenticity? How do you manage to be a strong advocate for your clients while staying true to yourself?

I am very persistent, and I will stay the same. It's funny, my husband and I joke that if I'm not between a 3 and a 7, I might be crying because I'll be too happy or too sad. I’m fortunate to have a really healthy relationship with my husband, and I have found that if I just stay cool at work, be persistent, and be aggressive in how I litigate without letting my emotions or my nerves get the better of me, I know I can go home and immediately talk to him about it. So, that's been the best thing for me to continue my momentum for litigating the case and not losing my cool because I think sometimes there are people who try to push your buttons, or maybe they're kind of high-strung and emotional. I try not to react because I know I can go home, and that's when I can let it out.

You've mentioned your boss, but are there other role models or mentors who have significantly influenced your career and helped guide you to where you are now?

My boss, Joe, again, is great. I'm so grateful to work here. There was another attorney, Jeffrey Butschky, who used to work in the same building and always provided me with advice. And then, when I was in law school, I was in the family law clinic, and my professors, Margaret Johnson, and Shanta Trivedi, were phenomenal. That was the first time, you know, in the law clinic, they teach you how to go out and be a lawyer. They literally took us to District Court, and we advocated for women who were trying to get protective orders. It was the first time I ever talked to a judge, and I remember being so scared. I actually remember being scared, and then I don't remember it because I fully blacked out. I went up and talked to the judge, and it is blank, and then I went down. But they really, I think, prepared me for how to go into a courtroom, how to conduct myself, how to introduce evidence, and were really supportive along the way. I remember I did cry once in the clinic because I was stressed, and they didn't bat an eye and didn't make me feel bad about it. They were like, "It happens, yeah." And I think that out of everybody in school, they were the two who really prepared me to be a lawyer. And I'm very grateful for them.

We've heard some express a sort of regret for not having a female role model, especially in a male-dominated field. Have you ever felt this way, or do you believe in embracing mentorship from anyone who offers valuable guidance, regardless of gender?

Oh, I agree. I could tell you that I had more male professors in law school, and then I had the same male boss, so I'm grateful for all the mentorship I've been given because, again, I think sometimes it's not always owed, even though I'm grateful for it. I don't expect anybody to give me anything. And I think those four people were able to give me the advice that I needed. So, I'm grateful for what I can get, and I'm glad that I had at least two women who were really pivotal for me.

How do you balance your professional life with your personal life, especially in a demanding field like law?

Not well – I will take all tips and tricks for this one because, for me, work doesn't stop. I check my email—it's the last thing I do before I go to bed and the first thing I do when I get up in the morning, which is insane because nothing will change in between. There's nothing that's going to change in the few hours between when I go to bed and get to the office. But I try to be present with my family when I am at home. I have two stepdaughters, and I don't want them to feel like my phone's going to be in my face when I need to spend and want to spend time with them. So, I have tried really hard to be more present at home, and that includes taking off my Apple Watch and putting my phone in my bedroom, which sounds like a silly thing, but I have to do that, or else I will try to work. That's tricky for me. But it was one of my New Year's resolutions to have a better work-life balance and try to leave work at work just a little bit more than usual.

What aspect of your work are you most passionate about? What excites you the most?

I kind of view our cases as solving a mystery, looking at it as a puzzle. And I really love the feeling when I figure out what happened, and I can see what went wrong, or if something feels covered up. I really like the idea of figuring out, "Okay, this happened, and it's malpractice." And that feeling is better when I get to tell the client because a lot of times, I think that's when people feel heard and really almost validated in that moment where they go, "Wow! I knew something was wrong. I knew that shouldn't have happened. And now you're an attorney that does this, and you're telling me the same." That's my favorite part.

What advice would you give to female attorneys just starting out in this area of the law?

My advice would be not to hesitate to reach out to other people. I say that because I graduated in 2020, I was sworn in in 2020, during the peak of COVID, right? So, I didn't see people in person. I would have loved to meet a colleague not on Zoom, but everybody I met was on Zoom, and it kind of made me a little anxious at first about reaching out to other colleagues in the area because I didn't want to seem inexperienced or like I didn't know what I was doing, you know. And now, I don't really care as much about what people think of me. Now, if I have a question, I'm emailing you. I'm asking, "Do you have advice? Can you tell me?" That's what I would recommend. I think I waited a little too long to start trying to network and reach out to people, even if it was virtual. So, I think that anybody should not hesitate to reach out to others because if you would like advice or if you would like help, somebody will give it to you. And it's fair for me to say that my emails are always open. Anybody could email me and ask me a question; I'd be happy to respond.

Why do you think organizations like the Society of Women Trial Lawyers are important for you and for women in this field in general?

I find that this organization and then the Maryland Association for Justice, the Women's Caucus, are my favorite email threads to be a part of. Again, for me, part of it is that I'm not at a large firm, so I'm not in court every day. I'm not on the courthouse steps talking to people. This organization, in particular, has given me a lot of opportunities to network and to see and talk to other people. The Zoom events are always helpful. I didn't realize when I signed up how personal Nancy would be. She sent me these nice emails, even sent an email blast when I joined, like, "Oh, my gosh! This is like, I just thought I was signing up to get some good info, you know, like I didn't realize it was going to be so personal," which I love. But I kind of have the opinion that when I'm in a group full of women, I don't have to change anything about myself. How many times have we, as women, been told that we're too loud, too direct, too emotional, too nice, expected to be everything everywhere all at once? And I don't feel any of that pressure in this organization, and that's why it's my favorite one. I will always advocate for women and be a champion for women. And that's, I think, the motto. That's the kind of energy that I get from this group. That's why I like it so much.

How has involvement in women-led organizations impacted you and your work?

I think it's essentially the same answer. It's the combination of meeting with women who are like-minded and want to be successful. For example, I've really enjoyed knowing that Megan Whiteside is another member. She's an attorney in Maryland, too. I haven't had the chance to talk to her one-on-one, but I've talked to her in passing with the MAJ stuff in this organization. She has a podcast where she talks about her job being an attorney—she's very successful, smart, competent, and an amazing, awesome attorney—and about parenthood. That has been so helpful for me because it's so hard, I think, to come to work and then to be a parent full time. Sometimes, I struggle to feel like I'm enough at home or to give as much to my children as I would like. The open communication that's available in women-led organizations, where you can talk about the struggles of parenting on top of work, has been helpful to me personally. Juggling your work and parenting balance and everything in between, seeing what others say about that, is very helpful.

Is there anything we haven't covered that you think is important to share about your story, background, or involvement in the society?

I would just say I'm just starting out. I have student loan debt like a lot of other people, so I'm very passionate. I work very hard, and I'm grateful for all the opportunities that I've been given. I'm very grateful to be a member of this society; this interview alone, I never would have expected. So, those kinds of things that come up in organizations, I think, are important. And as a member, I'm very grateful to be a part of them. So, thank you so much for reaching out to me and talking to me today.

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