Experience :

Brown Law Group: San Diego, CA
Associate, 10/2008 – Present 
Ms. Essa practices in the firm’s transactional as well as litigation teams, assisting companies of all sizes with their formation, corporate and employment compliance as well as business, employment, and real estate litigation and transactions.

Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch:
San Diego, CA
Associate, 5/2007 – 10/2008
At Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch, Ms. Essa obtained significant experience in business, construction, intellectual property, real estate, and employment litigation, including preparing for trial, drafting numerous motions, and preparing for and attending arbitration and mediations; as well as experience in corporate and general business planning and formation.  Ms. Essa has represented a variety of clients in all phases of litigation and has experience in both the Federal and State Courts. 

Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP,
San Diego, CA
Attorney, 12/2006 – 5/2007
Law Clerk, 8/2005 – 12/2006
Complex class action securities cases and shareholder derivative actions.  Experience in drafting consolidated amended complaints, oppositions to motions to dismiss, stipulations, demand letters, and Lead Plaintiff papers.  Researched and investigated potential class-action claims.  Propounded and responded to written discovery. 

Community Involvement :

Ms. Essa is very active in the community.  She currently serves as a founding board member of the Girls Think Tank, a grass roots 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that fosters a culture of empowerment amongst women, while providing a catalyst for social change on issues that confront us daily.  She also serves on the California Western School of Law Alumni board of directors.  Ms. Essa was recently selected to participate in the board of directors for the Young New Lawyer’s Division of the San Diego County Bar Association.

     • Member, American Bar Association
     • American Inn of Court – William B. Enright Chapter
     • Lawyers Club of San Diego – Chair of Equality 
       Committee and Co-Chair of Diverse Women's Task 
       Force
     • Member, Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego
     • San Diego County Bar Association
       - Young/New Lawyers Division Board of Directors
               - Chair of the Communications Committee
       - Ethnic Relations and Diversity Committee
       - Diversity Fellowship Committee
     • South Asian Bar Association of San Diego – Board 
       of Directors

Personal & Community Interests :

Education :

CALIFORNIA WESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW,
J.D., 2006, magna cum laude
Activities:  Law Review, Associate Writer and Editor, 2004-2006; Teacher’s Assistant, Trial Practice, 2005-2006; Honors Instructor for Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, 2004-2006; Amnesty International, Vice-President and President, 2004-2006; Women’s Law Caucus, member, 2004-2006; South Asian Law Students Association, President, 2006.
Honors:  Academic Achievement Scholarship, 2004-2006; Justice Howard B. Wiener Academic Scholarship, 2005; Faculty Award, 2006; Academic Achievement Awards in Property, Business Planning, and Internship Seminar.

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE
B.S.B.A., 2001, cum laude
Deans List; Golden Key National Honor Society; Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society.