#169
October 28 · 29 min
A Young Associate's Story: Navigating the Transition from Law School to Lawyer (replay)
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I Am The Law
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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.
- 30 episodes
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- Avg 31 min
- English
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#168October 21 · 32 minTranslating 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 walks through a purchase from start to finish: choosing a contract structure, reviewing solicitations for ambiguity, checking bid evaluations, and representing the agency when a losing bidder files a protest. She explains why ending a contract with a poorly performing contractor can still mean paying them, and how she contracts with smaller companies outside the standard federal rules. Marta also discusses learning a dense body of regulations and how federal culture compares to private practice. Marta is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today!
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#167October 14 · 30 minLiability 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 trying to get these cases thrown out of bankruptcy court. In this episode, Adam explains how he learned a new area of law after Johnson & Johnson’s first talc bankruptcy filing and what the early weeks demanded, from emergency hearings without depositions to forensic work tracing the company’s path to North Carolina. He also discusses why circuit law shapes venue fights, coordinating with co-counsel, and working opposite former allies. Adam is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today!
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#166October 7 · 37 minInside 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 entails. In this special episode, Kyle and Katya draw on a dozen conversations with Big Law lawyers to show what the work looks like from the inside. Guests describe how they found their firms and specialties, how deal and litigation teams fit together, and how junior lawyers learn through first drafts, feedback, supervision, and early opportunities to take on responsibility. They also speak candidly about one of the central tradeoffs of the work: high compensation alongside long hours and schedules driven by supervisors, clients, courts, and opposing counsel. The episode also looks at what it takes to make that intensity sustainable, including setting boundaries, reducing hours, and finding senior lawyers who will advocate for you. Kyle and Katya examine the difference between mentors and sponsors, the path toward partnership, and why some lawyers ultimately decide to stay, cut back, or leave for something that fits their lives better. Along the way, they use NALP and law school employment data to put Big Law in context: how recruiting timelines have accelerated, how access to large firms varies dramatically by school, and how many law graduates take this path. Check out NALP's class of 2025 research and the Law School Transparency tools on LawHub. Featured voices: Rachel Frank, Episode 131, Understanding the Appeal: Supreme Litigation from First Draft to Oral Argument Juan Dawson, Episode 108, Adapting to Biglaw: Getting Plugged into the Energy Sector Storm Lineberger, Episode 158, Fine Print, Big Money: Making Insurers Pay Up Eric Lauria-Banta, Episode 64, Inside the Deal Room: Unpacking M&A, VC Financing, and Work-Life Balance Audi Syarief, Episode 129, Trading in Gray Areas: How Sanctions Shape International Business Alexis Taitel, Episode 121, From Clerkship to Private Practice: Research, Writing, and Challenging Assumptions Bola Adeniran, Episode 96, Courtroom Theater: Early-Career Complex Litigation at a Large Firm Ed Winkofsky, Episode 77, The Legal Side of the Casino Floor: Navigating the Regulatory Maze Stephanie Hurst, Episode 116, Moonlighting into M&A: Tradeoffs in Practice Samm Tillotson, Episode 115, Biglaw Class Action Litigation Kiran Vakamudi, Episode 94, Corporate Restructuring: Dealmaking and Litigation to Avoid Financial Collapse Lana Kuchinski, Episode 99, Partners by Law: Building a Life and Career in Law Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today!
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#165September 23 · 25 minArriving 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 clients, including Special Immigrant Juvenile status and asylum, and how she builds trust with children as they share the difficult experiences that can shape their cases. Each case requires advocacy on several fronts: preparing clients for asylum interviews, working with parents and child advocates, challenging prolonged detention through habeas petitions, and representing a child’s expressed wishes even when others may believe a different outcome is in their best interest. She explains how changes in funding can reshape the course of legal aid work, from the services organizations can provide to the cases they can take on, and why success ultimately depends on what each child wants from their case. Angelique is a graduate of Quinnipiac University School of Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Editor’s note: This interview was recorded before changes to the federal funding structure for legal services for unaccompanied children. Angelique’s description of her organization’s federal funding reflects the arrangement at the time of recording and is no longer current. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Haynes Boone LLP Access LawHub today! Learn more about Juno and private student loans
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#164September 16 · 27 minWhat 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 our guests' first introduction to the profession. In this special episode, Kyle and Katya ask their guests two questions: Who is your favorite lawyer from pop culture, and what does pop culture get right or wrong about being a lawyer? The answers reveal where fiction overlaps with the realities of legal practice, and where it falls short. Guests reflect on the characters who inspired them, the preparation and pressure behind legal work, the emotional stakes of representing clients, and the sense of purpose that draws people to the profession. Pop culture may compress timelines, heighten the drama, and oversimplify the work, but it can still capture something real about what motivates lawyers and why the work matters to them. Featured voices: Doron Gold, Episode 143, The Therapist Who Left Law: Treating Perfectionism in Lawyers Jimmy Lai, Episode 151, An Introvert's Path to Running an Immigration Law Firm Devin Morse, Episode 144, Public Defender to Private Practice: Criminal Defense From Scratch Vineet Dubey, Episode 146, Poisoned Goods: Suing to Clean Up Consumer Products Mark Purpura, Episode 153, Building a Practice Around Delaware's Corporate Code Randy Prebula, Episode 142, Scientist to Regulatory Lawyer: Getting Medical Devices to Market Storm Lineberger, Episode 158, Fine Print, Big Money: Making Insurers Pay Up Richard Hy, Episode 155, After the Headlines: Lawsuits in the Wake of Disaster Jonathan Merel, Episode 154, More Than Legal Advice: Building a Firm for High-Conflict Divorce Jennifer Long, Episode 156, Sharpening the Craft of Special Victims Prosecution Charles Star, Episode 157, One Career in Three Acts: Big Law, Contract Work, Plaintiff Firm Yuliya Flynn, Episode 148, Concierge Outside Counsel: Compliance, Contracts, and Keeping Clients Deal-Ready Michelle Hanlon, Episode 149, Space Law: The Work Behind an Emerging Practice Elizabeth Stong, Episode 152, Federal Bankruptcy Judge: Running a Second Chance Court Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Learn more about Seton Hall Learn more about Blueprint Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law
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#163September 9 · 32 minProving 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 step in. Leana walks through how cases move from hospital referral to courtroom, why these civil cases require proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and what it means to cross-examine someone whose autonomy is at stake. She also discusses managing a caseload in the hundreds, the shift from bench trials to jury trials, and how she transitioned into this work after seven years in child welfare law. Leana Taing is a graduate of UCLA Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Seton Hall Access LawHub today! Learn more about Blueprint Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law
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#162September 2 · 37 minDefending 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, affecting a clients’ housing, immigration status, professional licenses, and family matters. These are areas that public defenders frequently have limited ability to address. She walks through an attempted murder case involving a client with schizophrenia to show how mental health history can shape defense strategy. Frances also breaks down preliminary hearings, plea negotiations, and the many factors that go into deciding whether to take a case to trial when the stakes can mean decades in prison. This leads to her desire to build a more holistic practice and the hard limits of what a lawyer can do when clients insist on making their own choices. Frances is a graduate of Santa Clara University School of Law. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law Learn more about Blueprint Learn more about Seton Hall
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#161August 19 · 23 minCriminal 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 to initial jailings. Kimberley is a graduate of the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law Learn more about Blueprint Learn more about Seton Hall
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#160August 12 · 22 minCommercial 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 experience and be involved in oral advocacy. Chukwukpee discusses his work as a problem solver for clients involved in lawsuits and highlights the complexity of commercial litigation. He shares his experiences working on cases from the beginning to the end, including drafting motions, researching statute of limitations arguments, and participating in appeals. Chukwukpee is a graduate of the University of Maryland. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Seton Hall Access LawHub today! Learn more about Blueprint Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law
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#159July 29 · 26 minRegulating 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 from the public through an informal helpline and through formal advisory opinions that people can rely on afterward. Amanda also describes why most of her day goes to operations rather than legal research: reviewing agency contracts from initiation through management, training staff on procurement rules, and managing a team. She talks about the scrutiny that comes with spending money that belongs to the public, and why management is a skill more lawyers should build. Amanda is a graduate of the University of Texas. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Learn more about Blueprint Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law Learn more about Seton Hall
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#158July 23 · 44 minFine 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 defense, walks through how a denied claim becomes a lawsuit, and explains why the underlying event, a refinery explosion or a hurricane, matters less than the words of the contract. He details the substantive work that falls to mid-level associates on leanly staffed cases, from drafting summary judgment motions to assessing settlement risk. The conversation also covers AI in document review and what changes when a senior associate starts managing other people. Storm is a graduate of Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law Learn more about Seton Hall Learn more about Blueprint Access LawHub today!
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#157July 15 · 34 minOne 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. Eventually he landed on the plaintiff side, where he works as a staff attorney on consumer class actions and feels connected to the work. In this episode, Charles reflects on golden handcuffs, career pivots, and what it takes to find a legal path that fits. Charles is a graduate of Columbia Law School. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Blueprint Access LawHub today! Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law Learn more about Seton Hall
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#156June 10 · 33 minSharpening 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 across the country working on those same crimes. Jennifer spends her time writing grants, managing projects, and developing the next generation of experts in the field, while still keeping her hands in the substantive legal work. She explains how she built her advocacy skills in court as a new prosecutor, what it takes to handle deeply sensitive cases, and why strong writing became central to her impact. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Seton Hall Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law Learn more about Blueprint Access LawHub today!
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#155June 3 · 32 minAfter 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 litigation to highlight how plaintiffs' lawyers think through which court, who to sue, and how to coordinate across dozens of law firms. Richard discusses the economics of contingency-fee practice, how AI is changing document-heavy work, and the secondary trauma that comes with intake after a mass-casualty event. He also reflects on how moving from insurance defense into plaintiff-side work early in his career shaped the way he approaches litigation today, giving him a clearer read on what the other side is likely to do. Richard is a graduate of Gonzaga School of Law. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Learn more about Seton Hall Learn more about Blueprint Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law
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#154May 27 · 29 minMore 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 reflects on the emotional weight of family law, why it draws certain practitioners and burns out others, and how he separates emotion from legal judgment. We also hear from Kristina Lindsay, the firm's in-house divorce coach. With a background in domestic violence advocacy, she helps clients navigate trauma, safety, and conflict, operating under the firm's attorney-client privilege. Together, they show how legal strategy and emotional support can work side by side and shape the outcome of a case. Jonathan is a graduate of Chicago-Kent College of Law. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Blueprint Access LawHub today! Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law Learn more about Seton Hall
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#153May 13 · 27 minBuilding 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 become the center of corporate law, what it’s like to work on fast-moving, high-stakes deals, and how he built a practice that blends business and law. He also shares how his work goes beyond clients, with a hand in shaping state legislation and advancing LGBTQ+ rights. Mark is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law Learn more about Blueprint Learn more about Seton Hall
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#152April 29 · 33 minFederal 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, sitting in Brooklyn. Becoming a judge was never on Judge Stong's radar — she was a happy litigation partner with no bankruptcy background when a job announcement caught her eye. In this episode, Judge Stong describes managing more than 300 active Chapter 11 cases alongside individual filings, the rhythm of case management conferences, and how she works with law clerks to prepare for hundreds of orders each week. She unpacks the structure of Article I bankruptcy judgeships and the Second Circuit's appointment process, and reflects on the weight of decisions that shape whether a family keeps its home or thousands of employees keep their jobs. The Honorable Elizabeth Stong is a graduate of Harvard Law School. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law Access LawHub today! Learn more about Blueprint Learn more about Seton Hall
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#151April 22 · 32 minAn 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 firm. Jimmy reflects on failing the bar exam three times before passing, navigating the financial and legal risks of starting a firm, and learning to think like a business owner rather than a lawyer. He also talks about doing all of this as a self-described introvert — someone who once avoided grocery store aisles to dodge small talk — and how he forced himself into networking and sales before eventually delegating those roles to more extroverted team members. Jimmy is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Seton Hall Access LawHub today! Learn more about Blueprint Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law
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#150April 15 · 24 minIRS 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 practice. Deepan is a graduate of Florida State University College of Law. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law Learn more about Seton Hall Learn more about Blueprint
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