For Brian C. and Puja Patel Lea, 2009 graduates of UGA Law, the first day of law school became the foundation for a partnership that has carried them not only through their successful professional lives, but through their personal lives.

“It is the classic story – we met on the first day of law school, Section X,” Puja said.

Brian added that meeting each other was easily the most memorable experience from his three years at UGA.

“What a great way to start your relationship in a town like Athens,” Brian said. “We ate at every restaurant [in Athens] 100 times. It was just a really great place to get off on the right foot, and it is where I later proposed.”

Brian and Puja continued to grow together as their professional journeys took off.

Brian’s exact career path was not linear. He originally aspired to be a sports agent before a conversation with Hosch Professor Thomas A. Eaton (now retired) changed his trajectory.

“[Prof. Eaton] pulled me aside and said, ‘I think you should think about clerking and then later litigating.’ It was totally unprompted,” Brian said. “I didn’t really know him very well, but it was some of the best advice I ever got.”

Now, after time in private practice with Jones Day, public service with the Department of Justice and as a judicial clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court, Brian serves as a U.S. District Court judge for the Western District of Tennessee.

“Memphis is my hometown,” and when the Tennessee senators made the call for applicants to fill the vacancy on the court, Brian said he put his name in. “Then once you do something like that, you let folks know you’re interested and pray for the best.”

Puja’s journey in the legal profession was more straightforward, with her early interests directly reflecting her current position as a partner at Troutman Pepper Locke.

“I always wanted to go to law school. I went to Georgia Tech for undergrad, so IP was always very interesting to me,” she said. “And that’s what I do now. I’m an IP litigator, and my practice is primarily patent litigation. I help companies that deal with technology-related litigation issues.”

Puja credits opportunities within Troutman as a huge part of her professional growth, starting with her summer associate role after her second year of law school.

“As a young associate and a litigator, I was given chances to go take depositions, to take witnesses in federal court, and to do things that gave me the opportunities to develop my skills in a way that happened pretty quickly, especially at a big law firm,” Puja said.

Puja and Brian both reflect on their various experiences and relationships throughout their careers as ways to find personal fulfillment in their jobs.

“I’ve been paying it forward to associates – to do those things that I was given the chance to do when I was a baby lawyer,” Puja said. “My mentors at Troutman, many of whom are my partners now, were just giving me a shot, and so being able to do that for others is incredibly rewarding for me.”

Brian said he has found public service incredibly meaningful. “Both at Jones Day and the Department of Justice, I’ve been lucky to have really good, talented, excellent colleagues. … Those close relationships make the hard times easier and the good times great,” he said.

While building accomplished careers and making an impact, Brian and Puja have been in each other’s corner every step of the way.

“It is really helpful to have somebody at home with that shared background who also understands what you’re going through at different points in your career,” Brian said. “Someone who can have not just supportive – but informed – thoughts about things you’re considering and opportunities you might want to take or not take.”

Puja added, “One of the benefits of having someone who gets it is that you have to talk about work less. Talking about the professional aspects of life less means that you have more time to focus on the other aspects of life and what completes you.”

From law school classmates to life partners, Brian and Puja have built a support system for each other that has helped them through the ups and downs of their professional and personal lives. Even with the success of their respective careers, they stay rooted in family.

“It’s all family for me,” Brian said. “I’m proud of my career and the opportunities I’ve had. I’m grateful for them but, at the end of the day, it’s about family.”

—Caroline L. Passaro