Bernadette helps clients navigate complex commercial litigation matters, guiding disputes through all stages of state and federal court proceedings.
Bernadette has extensive experience with complex appellate advocacy and knows how to exceed high expectations under pressure. Before joining Husch Blackwell full time, Bernadette served for two years as a judicial clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, where she closely assisted a federal appellate judge with all aspects of the judicial decision-making process. This experience developed her disciplined approach to advocacy, which is characterized by methodical, careful legal analysis and simple, clear persuasive writing.
Even before law school graduation, Bernadette gained invaluable litigation experience through her work in Notre Dame Law School’s highly regarded Religious Liberty Clinic. There, she helped draft briefs in numerous cases at all levels of the federal judiciary—including merits briefs in a case ultimately heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. That experience, together with a summer internship in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, sharpened her interest in advocacy and shaped her decision to pursue commercial litigation, where she enjoys the challenge of representing clients when a dispute turns complicated.
Bernadette’s commitment to excellence runs deep. After attending Benedictine College as a National Merit Scholar and graduating summa cum laude, she attended Notre Dame Law School. She was consistently in the top 10% of her law school class and received numerous awards for leadership and community involvement. During her semester breaks she put her accounting and finance degrees to use and successfully passed all four sections of the Uniform CPA Exam.
Bernadette was first drawn to the law because of the unique opportunities a legal career provides to serve others and to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. This remains her guiding motivation. An attentive listener, Bernadette works hard to effectively and creatively advocate for her clients’ interests. She brings thorough, careful work to every project and is committed to being a reliable advocate when clients need one most.