Analyst,
San Francisco
Intellectual Property, Antitrust, and Securities and Finance Practices
BA in Economics and Psychology, University of California, Berkeley
The NERA environment in ten words or less:
Very collegiate—great academic minds working in a collaborative environment.
On what made NERA the right firm for me:
I wanted to find a firm where I could combine my interests in conducting both qualitative and quantitative research, and apply my economics knowledge to solve real-world problems. NERA is a highly respected firm filled with the world’s leading academic experts and practitioners—exactly the kind of environment I wanted. The NERA employees I met during my interview process were interesting, knowledgeable, and friendly, making it a place I really wanted to become a part of.
On a memorable mentoring experience:
Soon after I started, one of the more senior researchers taught me the Excel array formulas. It took some time to grasp them, but she stepped through an example with me and explained the various issues and common mistakes that occur with array formulas. A few months ago, I found myself introducing array formulas to two new researchers in my office.
On the diversity of project work:
I enjoy the fact that my group works on projects across different practices. It keeps things interesting! Even on a single project, I am often involved in every aspect of the work. For example, I recently worked on a patent infringement case that involved two large medical device manufacturers. From the extensive document review and calculating lost profit and reasonable royalty damages to working on the final report, I was an integral part of our analyses and findings.
On describing what I do to friends:
I like to give the example of a patent infringement case, since I believe it is easy for people to relate to and understand. When a company is sued for infringing another company’s patent, both companies’ lawyers hire economic experts to do an analysis of past and future damages. That’s where we come in.
On the advice I’d give to a prospective colleague:
Come with an open mind and be excited to learn.
