PODCAST · business
I Am The Law
by LawHub powered by LSAC
I Am The Law takes a deep dive into the various practice areas and settings of law. We interview law school graduates with thought-provoking questions for an insider look into the realities of a career in law, recipes for success, and the biggest challenges lawyers face today.
Episodes
-
Translating Engineers’ Needs into Airtight Agreements
When the Navy’s research and development arm needs to buy equipment or services, Marta Rajchel helps decide how. As a procurement lawyer for the Department of Defense, she works with contracting staff and the scientists and engineers who define what the government needs. In this episode, Marta...
-
Liability Detour: Litigating Against Bankruptcy as Strategy
When thousands of people sue a company over a harmful product, the company may create a new entity, load it with that liability, and file for bankruptcy, pausing the lawsuits and taking them away from juries. Adam Silverstein, a partner at a midsize New York firm, represents plaintiffs’ lawyers...
-
Inside Big Law
Big Law recruiting now starts earlier than ever, often during the first semester of law school and increasingly outside traditional campus interviews. That leaves law students making consequential career decisions before they’ve had much time to understand what working at a large law firm…
more -
Arriving Alone: Legal Aid for Detained Immigrant Children
Angelique Torres is a legal aid lawyer who represents children navigating the U.S. immigration system. Her clients arrive at the border without a parent or legal guardian and are placed in government custody. In this episode, Angelique explains the forms of immigration relief available to her...
-
What Lawyers Think Pop Culture Gets Right, and Wrong, About Their Profession
If you've listened to I Am the Law for any length of time, you know the practice of law rarely looks the way it does on screen. Hours of preparation, client calls, problem solving, and stress don’t exactly make for catchy courtroom stories. But for many lawyers, those fictional portrayals were…
more -
Proving Someone Can't Care for Themselves: Mental Health Conservatorship Trials
Leanna Taing is a lawyer for Los Angeles County, where she represents the Office of Public Guardian in mental health conservatorship proceedings. In this episode, she explains what happens when someone is unable to care for themselves due to a mental health condition and no family or friends can...
-
Defending the Whole Client: Criminal Charges and Their Hidden Consequences
Frances Prizzia began her career as a public defender. Today, she runs her own criminal defense practice, representing clients facing charges ranging from DUI and assault to murder. In this episode, Frances explains how a criminal charge can often have damaging consequences outside the courtroom,...
-
Criminal Justice Advocacy from Within the L.A. Mayor's Office (replay)
Kimberley Baker Guillemet helped form the Los Angeles Office of Reentry to ensure that when someone leaves prison, limited employment options do not lead to a cycle of crime. In this episode, she discusses her work helping the formerly incarcerated rejoin society and altering conditions that lead...
-
Commercial Litigation at a Large Firm (replay)
Chukwukpee Nzegwu is a junior associate practicing commercial litigation at a large, general practice law firm. While he didn't go to law school to do commercial lit, he's found it both exciting and challenging. He explains that his decision was influenced by the opportunity to gain trial...
-
Regulating Ethics in Politics: Advisory Opinions and Agency Operations
Amanda Arriaga is General Counsel for the Texas Ethics Commission, the state agency that oversees campaign finance, lobbying, and financial disclosure. In this episode, she explains what it means to represent an institution rather than any individual official, and how her office answers questions...
-
Fine Print, Big Money: Making Insurers Pay Up
Storm Lineberger is a fourth-year associate at global large firm Haynes Boone who practices insurance coverage litigation on the policyholder side. When an insurer denies a company's claim, he sues to recover what the policy promised. In this episode, Storm separates coverage work from insurance...
-
One Career in Three Acts: Big Law, Contract Work, Plaintiff Firm
Charles Star thought he'd become a union-side labor lawyer but like many law students, he followed the pull of Big Law instead. The prestige and paycheck were there, but the work left him unfulfilled. Charles walked away to pursue stand-up comedy, supporting himself as a hourly contract lawyer....
-
Sharpening the Craft of Special Victims Prosecution
Like most prosecutors, Jennifer Long learned on the job. Now she helps train them. After starting her career in a DA's office, Jennifer moved into handling child abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault cases. Today, she's the founder and CEO of AEquitas, a nonprofit that supports prosecutors...
-
After the Headlines: Lawsuits in the Wake of Disaster
.Richard Hy is a lawyer who represents people harmed in large-scale incidents, from mass shootings to defective products to public health crises. In this episode, he explains the strategic differences between mass torts and class actions, and uses his work on the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting...
-
More Than Legal Advice: Building a Firm for High-Conflict Divorce
Jonathan Merel runs a mid-sized family law firm built around high-conflict divorce. In this episode, he talks about the kinds of cases his firm takes on, how he sets strategy across a team of lawyers, and what shifted when he moved from full-time litigator to running the business. He also…
more -
Building a Practice Around Delaware's Corporate Code
Mark Purpura thought he might head to Wall Street but found his niche in law instead. Now a Delaware-based attorney, he works on the deals that keep the financial world moving, from forming trust companies to advising on complex transactions. In this episode, Mark breaks down why Delaware has...
-
Federal Bankruptcy Judge: Running a Second Chance Court
Judge Elizabeth Stong calls bankruptcy court a "second chance court," a forum where companies in financial distress and individuals buried in debt can find a path forward, even if it's rarely the one they hoped for. She serves on the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York,...
-
An Introvert's Path to Running an Immigration Law Firm
As an international student graduating from a U.S. law school, Jimmy Lai struggled to find employers willing to sponsor him. Rather than leave the U.S., he chose to build something from scratch. In this episode, Jimmy talks about how his visa barriers pushed him to co-found an immigration law…
more -
IRS Tax Lawyer: From Tax Strategist to the Government (replay)
Deepan Patel explains his role at the IRS. While the IRS has many types of lawyers, he focuses on business taxpayer guidance, which ensures certainty for businesses making major decisions. He describes how he got into tax, where his career might go, and trade-offs between government and private...
-
Space Law: The Work Behind an Emerging Practice
Michelle Hanlon spent 25 years as a cross-border M&A lawyer before earning an LLM in space law and reinventing her practice around an environment that nobody quite controls but many want to. Space law is barely developed, but much of the daily work looks like any other industry: contracts,...
-
Concierge Outside Counsel: Compliance, Contracts, and Keeping Clients Deal-Ready
Yuliya Flynn is a partner at a small business law firm where she acts as concierge legal counsel for small and mid-size companies — handling the kind and breadth of work an in-house lawyer would, but for multiple clients at once. In this episode, she walks through what that role looks like day to...
-
Small Firm, Big Mountain: Ski Injury Law in Colorado
Evan Banker didn't plan to become a ski lawyer, but a chance opportunity led him to a niche practice handling collisions on the slopes. He explains how skiing accidents become legal cases, from right-of-way rules and Colorado's Skier Safety Act to evidence like witness accounts, video footage…
more -
Poisoned Goods: Suing to Clean Up Consumer Products
Vineet Dubey is an environmental litigator in California who sues companies selling consumer products tainted with toxic chemicals. His primary legal vehicle is California's Proposition 65, a ballot-initiative statute requiring companies to either warn consumers about chemical exposure or remove...
-
Outside In-House Counsel: Small Business Lawyer (replay)
Philip Selio, a solo practitioner, helps small businesses and entrepreneurs with their corporate law needs. He discusses managing all aspects of a solo shop -- and how it helps him better serve his clients who face similar challenges. Philip discusses client relationships, research processes, and...
-
Public Defender to Private Practice: Criminal Defense From Scratch
Devin Morse is a criminal defense attorney in Alaska, specializing in the state's most serious charges. In this episode, Devin explains the distinction between factual and legal guilt, her intensive intake process, and why she deliberately delays hearing a client's version of events. She also...
-
The Therapist Who Left Law: Treating Perfectionism in Lawyers
Doron Gold spent roughly a decade practicing law before realizing the profession was slowly crushing him. In this episode, Doron shares the experiences that led him to leave law for good. Doron discusses his transition to therapy and his current practice helping lawyers navigate burnout,...
-
Scientist to Regulatory Lawyer: Getting Medical Devices to Market
What does it take to bring medical devices to the market? It’s a question lawyer Randy Prebula thinks about every day. Randy is a partner at a global law firm who specializes in the regulatory world of medical devices and technology. In this episode, he shares how he transitioned from a more than...
-
Early Career Clarity: From Immigration to Financial Litigation (replay)
Nathania Reyes litigates commercial disputes on behalf of financial services organizations like banks. Nathania recounts her journey from uncertain law student to finding her place in civil litigation. She describes her diverse experiences, including immigration and in-house internships, a…
more -
How Lawyers Are Using AI and Where They Draw the Line
Artificial intelligence has arrived in the legal profession. In this special episode, Kyle and Katya examine AI's growing role in the world of law from criminal defense to M&A and much in between. Over the past few months, they've asked every guest a simple bonus question: How has AI affected…
more -
At the Center of the Transaction: Coordinating Business Deals from Start to Finish
Michael Kohagen structures mergers and acquisitions for clients across the deal spectrum, from family businesses selling for $5 million to headline-grabbing deals. He explains how smaller deals offer closer client relationships—often working directly with owners who lack M&A experience but know...
-
Environmental Law in Government: Managing Competing Interests and Natural Resources
Duncan Kemp, a state government lawyer, took an unconventional path to environmental law. After working in college athletics fundraising and earning an MFA in Creative Writing, he entered law school part-time with a clear goal: protecting natural resources. But landing that environmental job…
more -
Navigating International Waters: Arresting Ships and Managing Crises on the Seas
Molly Henry represents international ship owners in a practice spanning oil spill response, vessel arrests, cargo disputes, and casualties at sea. She explains how admiralty law—a conglomeration of international treaties and federal common law—treats ships as legal persons that can be arrested…
more -
Elevating Businesses to New Highs: Corporate Cannabis Practice (replay)
Mia Getlin specializes in the state-legal cannabis industry in Oregon and Washington. She shares insights into the challenges and complexities of navigating the highly-regulated cannabis sector, emphasizing the importance of trust-building with clients coming from diverse backgrounds, including...
-
From Crime Scene to Courtroom: Justice Through a Gang Prosecutor's Lens
Shannon Struble has spent more than a decade prosecuting gang-related crimes in a county with a lot of violent gang activity. In this episode, she takes us inside the day-to-day life of a prosecutor. Shannon walks through the fast-paced charging process — where prosecutors have just 48 hours to...
-
When Families Fight: Financial Elder Abuse, Conservatorships, and Estate Litigation
Families don’t call Matt Talbot when things are going well. They call when grief, money, and long-simmering tensions rise to the surface. He helps clients navigate conservatorships, financial elder abuse, and complex estate litigation. In this episode, Matt discusses the emotional weight of...
-
Cool Little Dudes and Legal Battles: Environmental Protection from the Courtroom to the Community
If you ask environmental protection lawyer Elise Bennett who her clients are, she might joke that some days it’s the frosted flatwood salamander, the gopher tortoise, or Florida panther – but officially, it’s the Center for Biological Diversity. Elise is the Center's Florida and Caribbean…
more -
Family Matters: Dollars, Decisions, and Dealing with Divorce (replay)
Whitney Lallas is a family law attorney in Maine. She shares her journey into family law, influenced by her interest in psychology and math. The emotional and financial aspects of her work figure prominently into what she likes about her work, as well as what's challenging. She provides insights...
-
Understanding the Appeal: Supreme Litigation from First Draft to Oral Argument
Rachel Frank is a senior associate at Quinn Emanuel who focuses on appellate litigation. She discusses the journey from summer associate to working on cases before the Supreme Court. Rachel explains what appellate practice actually involves, from preparing partners for oral arguments through...
-
Navigating Chaos: Triumphs and Trials of a Public Defender (replay)
Matt Skinner is a public defender with passion. Criminal defense is high-stakes, sometimes chaotic work that can be extremely difficult, but Matt navigates the courts, clients, and his career with genuine sincerity and excitement. As a lawyer for those who are accused of felonies but cannot…
more -
Trading in Gray Areas: How Sanctions Shape International Business
For the government, sanctions and export controls are foreign policy tools. For businesses, they are legal minefields. Audi Syarief is a senior associate who helps clients navigate this high-stakes world of regulatory puzzles and enforcement actions. In this episode, Audi explains how sanctions...
-
Sports & Entertainment Law: Making a Solo Firm Work Against the Odds (replay)
Jeremy Evans managed to outlast hundreds who started law school hoping to do sports and entertainment law. He talks about the struggle to start his own firm and why he thinks he was among the last standing. Jeremy is a graduate of Thomas Jefferson School of Law. This is a replay of episode #47…
more -
Administrative Hearings and Human Stories: Social Security Disability on the Frontlines
Through her social security disability practice, Asha Sharma represents clients who are often struggling with poverty, homelessness, and complex medical conditions. In this episode, she discusses the realities of building a practice around contingency fees from federal back pay, the challenge of...
-
Trial by Algorithm: Helping Lawyers Navigate the AI Revolution
Joe Stephens operates at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and traditional legal practice. As both a trial consultant and public defender, he helps lawyers harness AI to transform their litigation strategies and case preparation. Joe discusses how he guides other attorneys through AI...
-
Law Firm to Law Professor: Tenure, Teaching, and Scholarship
Sudha Setty entered legal academia on a path less traveled—without a clerkship or teaching fellowship. While working as a litigation associate at an elite New York City firm, she prepared for the academic job market and charted her course into teaching and scholarship. In this episode, Sudha...
-
Breaking Up the Business: Conflict, Mediation, and Resolution
Margeaux Thomas is the definition of lawyer meets entrepreneur. She specializes in business partnership disputes, landlord-tenant conflicts, and contract law. In this episode, Margeaux shares her journey from law school to working at a large firm, the challenges she faced navigating firm…
more -
Leading with Vulnerability: From the Courtroom to the Community
Before becoming a judge, Alex Manning served in the military, worked undercover as a cop, and defended people in complex criminal cases. She was also a key spokesperson advocating against the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. In this episode, Judge Manning talks about what drew her from...
-
Second Chances: Rewriting Life Through Clemency
Today, Venetia Mayhew is one of Oregon’s most well-known clemency and post-conviction lawyers, but her path to the law was anything but typical. She started college at 39 and law school at 43. Her prior experience? Working in film, catering, and truck driving. In this episode, she explains how…
more -
From Clerkship to Private Practice: Research, Writing, and Challenging Assumptions
Alexis Taitel, a commercial litigator and fourth-year associate at a large firm, spent her first two years after law school clerking in federal district court. She explains what a federal clerkship really involves and how that experience helped her launch a litigation career in private practice....
-
Behind the Lease: Supporting Restaurant Expansion Through Real Estate Law
Eric Bernheim works at the intersection of real estate transactions and land use law—two areas that are often siloed but deeply interconnected in his practice. We focus on his commercial real estate practice, highlighting how he supports restaurant clients through lease negotiations, why...
-
Why They Chose Law: Family Ties, Media Influence, and Career Purpose
What really draws people to become lawyers? In this special bonus episode, we draw on previously unpublished clips with recent guests. You'll hear from lawyers inspired by family members in the profession, those who found their calling through student government or workplace experiences, and…
more
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
I Am The Law takes a deep dive into the various practice areas and settings of law. We interview law school graduates with thought-provoking questions for an insider look into the realities of a career in law, recipes for success, and the biggest challenges lawyers face today.
HOSTED BY
LawHub powered by LSAC
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does I Am The Law have?
I Am The Law currently has 168 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is I Am The Law about?
I Am The Law takes a deep dive into the various practice areas and settings of law. We interview law school graduates with thought-provoking questions for an insider look into the realities of a career in law, recipes for success, and the biggest challenges lawyers face today.
How often does I Am The Law release new episodes?
I Am The Law publishes regularly with 168 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to I Am The Law?
You can listen to I Am The Law on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts I Am The Law?
I Am The Law is created and hosted by LawHub powered by LSAC.
URL copied to clipboard!