Tess will meet with the client as early in the process as possible. She is highly skilled in building a rapport and a level of trust to make clients feel comfortable discussing very personal issues. After the interview, she will determine which collateral contacts would be most helpful to provide additional information. Following these interviews, she will consult with defense teams to finalize additional verifying information and together they will map out a strategy for sentencing.
A key step in Tess’s investigation is discovering contributing factors in the client’s decision to cross the line and violate the law. There is often a fine line between an excuse and an explanation. Acknowledging wrongdoing and expressing remorse is critical. Additionally, a psychological evaluation may provide a thoughtful explanation of issues that contributed to the client’s conduct while also helping the client gain insight and follow recommended counseling, treatment or medication. Gaining insight and engaging in treatment will reduce the likelihood of recidivism. Tess knows when to suggest psychological evaluations, medical evaluations, or other expert assessments which can best support the request for a lower sentence.
With a mind for thorough support of the defense team’s position, Tess is a key player in gathering all of the critical documentation legal teams need. She knows when to speak to the evaluator prior to evaluations, which medical records to chase down, or how to provide character letters that will demonstrate the highest level of credibility at the time of sentencing. Tess will act as the “master curator” of all of the information the team needs to prepare for sentencing, knowing when to reach out for additional information, and how to frame each key piece.
As a member of the US Sentencing Commission’s Practitioner’s Advisory Group, Tess is well informed and is up-to-date on guideline issues, proposed amendments, and upcoming changes. Based on this knowledge, and her thorough investigation of every client she works with, she is poised to provide a very detailed 3553(a) analysis of the most relevant issues for sentencing which are supported by meticulous documentation.
Tess will act as the lead in procuring the most compelling and impactful character letters possible. Based on exhaustive interviews with each of her clients, she is expertly positioned to assist writers in composing the most impactful character letters. She has a keen sense for the right specific details and descriptions of the client, as well as orchestrating common themes across character letters to ensure maximum impact. She also uses her discerning experience to coach on which examples of character traits will be the most enlightening to the Court.
Tess’s years of experience as a federal probation officer provide her with an inside look at how a probation officer will approach a case. She is sensitive to the large caseloads expected of probation officers and can sympathize with the lack of time officers have when it comes to providing a proper analysis. Tess has developed a keen sense of best practices — she knows which information is most relevant to probation officers and the Court, and how to package and deliver it in a digestible and compelling way.