I’m Gemma.

And while you might not get my name right the first time, when you do, you’ll remember it forever.

If you’re here on my website, you might already know I’m a lawyer. You can read more about my professional mantra by clicking here. I’d call lawyering my day job, but that wouldn’t be true. Lawyering is an around-the-clock investment for me. I pride myself in forming strong relationships with my clients, and their lives become a part of mine. I work for the underdog. And I like it that way.

As a first-generation lawyer from modest means, female litigator, and daughter of an immigrant, I have often felt I don’t “fit in” the lawyer world. I have a lot of tattoos. I speak my mind and the truth. And I have a very straight “straight face.” I know people make assumptions. I invite you to get to know me. To be honest, I don’t want to fit a mold. I don’t want to conform to what a lawyer “should” be, or look like, or act like. I mean, a lot of people don’t like lawyers. Maybe we need to ask why that is.

At the end of the day, I’m a person too. And this website is about the lawyer behind the person and the person behind the lawyer.

Maybe you are here because you don’t know me. Maybe you are here because you respect and admire me. Or perhaps you are here because you consider yourself an adversary. No matter which route you come, welcome.

A long time ago, I grew up in Arizona, raised by my father, who immigrated from communist Poland. I have two younger sisters, and they are my inspiration, the keepers of my sanity, and my sounding board. One is a scientist. The other is a nurse.

This year, I married the love of my life. I was 40. He was worth the wait. I am not really one to settle. Ask my personal friends. Ask my adversaries.

I have two dogs I adopted from area shelters. My dogs, with their imperfect pasts are the underdogs too. My dogs have helped me train for marathons. They’ve run alongside my gravel bike through miles of countryside. As a team we have earned over 100 titles in competitive dog sports. My RugerDog is 13 1/2 now, and while he can no longer compete, he shows me every day what it is like to persevere, and to live life to its last drop.

Life is not linear. It twists and turns.

When I first wrote this, I had yet to know the biggest twist so far: I became a mom. I now have two daughters, Zoe and Emma. My hope is by showing them who I am and what I do for others, I can inspire them to love and accept themselves, and rise to their full potential.

I am blessed to have the opportunity and means to explore pursue my passions—both professionally and personally. I hope to share some of that through this website. If you have thoughts or questions or just want to share your own story, reach out.