Attorneys

Emily Adams

Appellate Attorney

Freyja Johnson

Appellate Attorney

Cherise Bacalski

Appellate Attorney

Sara Pfrommer

Appellate Attorney, Of Counsel

Carol Funk

Appellate Attorney, Of Counsel

Hannah Leavitt-Howell

Appellate Attorney

MJ Townsend

Appellate Attorney

Rachel Phillips Ainscough

Appellate Attorney

Anna Grigsby

Appellate Attorney

Jessica Holzer

Appellate Attorney

Before joining The Appellate Group, I clerked for Judge Ryan D. Tenney at the Utah Court of Appeals. There, I experienced the judicial side of the Utah appellate system, challenged my critical thinking skills, and honed my legal research and writing skills. 

While in law school, I was the Associate Managing Editor of Utah Law Review, I argued in the Utah Court of Appeals as a clerk for the Attorney General’s office in the Criminal Appeals division, I second chaired a trial as an extern for the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office, and I externed for Magistrate Judge Dustin B. Pead in the United States District Court, District of Utah. Being familiar with both the trial- and appellate-levels of a case informs how I approach my work and helps me appreciate the big picture. And my history working with the judiciary and with the state informs my work on each appeal because I have insight into the other party’s and the courts’ processes.

Before attending law school, I received a master’s degree in music and spent a decade working as a music therapist, where I focused primarily on using music as a tool to improve mental health. My background working with individuals experiencing pain and suffering influences the way I approach my legal work in that I am mindful of, and empathetic to, a client’s experience navigating the legal system and I am honored to be a guide through the appellate process.

When I’m not working, I’m usually daydreaming about my next meal, researching local restaurants, trying new recipes, or exploring. 

Education

S.J. Quinney College of Law, University of Utah

J.D., with honors

Associate Managing Editor, Utah Law Review

Arizona State University

M.M., Music Therapy, summa cum laude

Utah State University

B.S., Music Therapy & Journalism, magna cum laude 

Clerkships

Utah Court of Appeals, Judge Ryan D. Tenney 

Admissions

Utah