Staff Profiles

Paralegal – Samantha Wren

Family information: I was born and raised in Little Rock. My parents are Dwayne and Blanca Tucker. I have a younger brother, Christopher. I recently married Patrick Wren. I love spending time with our parents and dog.

My favorite meal: My favorite has to be Pupusas from El Salvador. Pupusas are made with masa that is stuffed with cheese, chicharron, beans or a combination of ingredients. They are served with beans, rice and a traditional slaw. I would definitely recommend this meal to others.

When I’m not working I’m: I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, going to movies, photography, travling and relaxing at the lake.

Samantha Wren

The accomplishments of which I am most proud:

Graduating from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. I love going back to visit the campus and see my name on the senior walk.

At the top of my bucket list is to: Keep traveling. I hope to visit each state in the United States, and someday visit Europe.

The hardest thing I have ever done is: I am very scared of heights, but Patrick encouraged me to conquer my fears and go cliff jumping with him at Greers Ferry Lake.

You might be surprised to learn that: I’m a black belt in Taekwondo.

How long have you been at the AAC, and

what projects are you working on? I started working at AAC on July 29 as a paralegal in the legal department. I assist our team of attorneys with auto claims, and with litigation of 1983 civil rights and restitution claims. I also aid RMF Legal Counsel Brandy McAllister on the codification of county ordinances by retrieving updated ordinances and summarizing them for publication. My day-to-day projects change from administrative tasks to assistance with case management to best help our team of attorneys complete their tasks efficiently.

Law Clerk – Savannah Johnston

Family information: I’m a born and raised Arkansan from Russeville and the youngest of two children. My sister and I are only 15 months apart, so we have been inseparable since we were born. Last year, she moved to Washington D.C., to work for the Jane Goodall Institute, but we don’t let a day go by without talking to each other. I’m also very lucky because I got to marry my high school sweetheart in November.

My favorite meal: Thanksgiving dinner, hands down. What’s better than turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and pecan pie?

When I’m not working I’m: Studying. But, if I can manage to sneak away for a while, my husband and I like to host game nights, go bowling, play mini-golf — anything that allows us to be competitive. I also love taking road trips. I always make sure that we stop by a restaurant from “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” when we go somewhere new.

The accomplishments of which I am most proud: Education is something that has always meant a lot to me, and I am very proud of my progress so far. I have a bachelor of arts in political science, an associate’s degree in criminal justice, and I am now working on my Juris Doctorate If I could be a degree collector for a living, I totally would.

At the top of my bucket list is to: Before it’s all said and done, I’d like to tag along on a storm chase.

Savannah Johnston

The hardest thing I have ever done is: Law school is definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s been the most rewarding.

How long have you been at the AAC, and

what projects are you working on? I began at AAC in August, and I’ve had the opportunity to do some policy research. I’ll continue to work on projects on the policy side of things during my time here, and I am thankful for the chance to serve my home state.

Law Clerk – Arik Cruz

Family information: Though I was born in San Antonio, I’ve lived in Arkansas since I was a baby. I grew up and attended school in Flippin and am the youngest of four children. We’re actually a great example of a blended family, with step-parents, step-siblings, half-siblings, and so on. It’s complicated to explain on paper, but it’s really just a close-knit family in practice.

My favorite meal: I love just about anything from a Mexican restaurant; the more authentic the better. I’m also a sucker for seafood, especially when it’s fresh from the Gulf.

When I’m not working I’m: Probably running on a trail in the woods somewhere. Otherwise, I’m likely either playing/listening to music (I play the drums and am trying to learn the guitar) or binge-watching something funny on Netflix or Hulu.

Arik Cruz

The accomplishments of which I am most proud: I’m proud of the independent sociological research on gang activity abatement that I conducted during my time at U of A, as well as the fact that I’m about to be in my last year of law school. On a more personal note, I’m proud to have run 11 full marathons over the years without managing to injure myself in any significant way. At the top of my bucket list is to: While cliché, I’d have to say simply embarking down a career path that is truly fulfilling and that brings happiness to me and those around me. Holding some sort of political office in order to improve the lives of my fellow Arkansans is a close second.

The hardest thing I have ever done is: Definitely law school, but all the unique and rewarding social/networking experiences have really made up for the hard times.

How long have you been at the AAC, and what proj-

ects are you working on? I have been at the AAC since July. The project on which I’m currently working is the development of a statutory guidebook intended to provide general information to — and address many of the questions and concerns of — fire departments across the state.

Law Clerk – Adam Rose

Family information: I am a proud Texan. I grew up in the Dallas area as the youngest of three children. My two older sisters still live in Texas with my 6-year-old niece and my 2-year-old nephew. We spend a lot of time with the kids and really enjoy watching them grow up.

My favorite meal: Sadly, I love all food. But, you cannot go wrong with a fresh, wellmade taco.

When I’m not working I’m: In law school and will graduate in May, so I am obviously very busy with that. I really love to work out, rock climb and see movies. I am also on the trial team at Bowen Law School, so that also keeps me quite busy.

Adam Rose

The accomplishments of which I am most proud: In graduate school I got to work on a human trafficking database and am very proud of being able to work on that and help so many future victims. I am also proud to have my two bachelor’s degrees, master’s degree, and hopefully my Juris Doctorate in May. At the top of my bucket list is to: Sky dive.

The hardest thing I have ever done is:

Stayed in school for as long as I have. I have wanted to quit several times, but have made it almost all the way through.

You might be surprised to learn that: I recently got engaged and can’t wait to get married in October 2020. Also, I have a podcast on iTunes called, “Rose Reviews,” where I review TV and film.

How long have you been at the AAC, and

what projects are you working on? I started at AAC in early August, and I have really enjoyed my experience so far. I will be continuing to learn and work on discovery requests and interesting legal research problems. I am looking forward to my time here and can’t wait to see all the things I will learn.