I Am The Law

Federal Bankruptcy Judge: Running a Second Chance Court

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Judge Elizabeth Stong calls bankruptcy court a "second chance court," a forum where companies in financial distress and individuals buried in debt can...

An Introvert's Path to Running an Immigration Law Firm

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

IRS Tax Lawyer: From Tax Strategist to the Government (replay)

15 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Space Law: The Work Behind an Emerging Practice

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Concierge Outside Counsel: Compliance, Contracts, and Keeping Clients Deal-Ready

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 kin...

Small Firm, Big Mountain: Ski Injury Law in Colorado

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ho...

Poisoned Goods: Suing to Clean Up Consumer Products

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Vineet Dubey is an environmental litigator in California who sues companies selling consumer products tainted with toxic chemicals. His primary legal ...

Outside In-House Counsel: Small Business Lawyer (replay)

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Philip Selio, a solo practitioner, helps small businesses and entrepreneurs with their corporate law needs. He discusses managing all aspects of a sol...

Public Defender to Private Practice: Criminal Defense From Scratch

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Devin Morse is a criminal defense attorney in Alaska, specializing in the state's most serious charges. In this episode, Devin explains the distinctio...

The Therapist Who Left Law: Treating Perfectionism in Lawyers

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Doron Gold spent roughly a decade practicing law before realizing the profession was slowly crushing him. In this episode, Doron shares the experience...

Scientist to Regulatory Lawyer: Getting Medical Devices to Market

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 globa...

Early Career Clarity: From Immigration to Financial Litigation (replay)

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nathania Reyes litigates commercial disputes on behalf of financial services organizations like banks. Nathania recounts her journey from uncertain la...

How Lawyers Are Using AI and Where They Draw the Line

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 fro...

At the Center of the Transaction: Coordinating Business Deals from Start to Finish

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Kohagen structures mergers and acquisitions for clients across the deal spectrum, from family businesses selling for $5 million to headline-gr...

Environmental Law in Government: Managing Competing Interests and Natural Resources

17 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Duncan Kemp, a state government lawyer, took an unconventional path to environmental law. After working in college athletics fundraising and earning a...

Navigating International Waters: Arresting Ships and Managing Crises on the Seas

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Molly Henry represents international ship owners in a practice spanning oil spill response, vessel arrests, cargo disputes, and casualties at sea. She...

Elevating Businesses to New Highs: Corporate Cannabis Practice (replay)

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mia Getlin specializes in the state-legal cannabis industry in Oregon and Washington. She shares insights into the challenges and complexities of navi...

From Crime Scene to Courtroom: Justice Through a Gang Prosecutor's Lens

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 tak...

When Families Fight: Financial Elder Abuse, Conservatorships, and Estate Litigation

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 c...

Cool Little Dudes and Legal Battles: Environmental Protection from the Courtroom to the Community

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you ask environmental protection lawyer Elise Bennett who her clients are, she might joke that some days it’s ...

Family Matters: Dollars, Decisions, and Dealing with Divorce (replay)

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 emoti...

Understanding the Appeal: Supreme Litigation from First Draft to Oral Argument

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel Frank is a senior associate at Quinn Emanuel who focuses on appellate litigation. She discusses the journey from summer associate to working on...

Navigating Chaos: Triumphs and Trials of a Public Defender (replay)

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Skinner is a public defender with passion. Criminal defense is high-stakes, sometimes chaotic work that can be extremely difficult, but Matt navi...

Trading in Gray Areas: How Sanctions Shape International Business

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the government, sanctions and export controls are foreign policy tools. For businesses, they are legal minefields. Audi Syarief is a senior associ...

Sports & Entertainment Law: Making a Solo Firm Work Against the Odds (replay)

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ow...

Administrative Hearings and Human Stories: Social Security Disability on the Frontlines

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Through her social security disability practice, Asha Sharma represents clients who are often struggling with poverty, homelessness, and complex medic...

Trial by Algorithm: Helping Lawyers Navigate the AI Revolution

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Stephens operates at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and traditional legal practice. As both a trial consultant and public defender, h...

Law Firm to Law Professor: Tenure, Teaching, and Scholarship

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sudha Setty entered legal academia on a path less traveled—without a clerkship or teaching fellowship. While working as a litigation associate at an...

Breaking Up the Business: Conflict, Mediation, and Resolution

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Margeaux Thomas is the definition of lawyer meets entrepreneur. She specializes in business partnership disputes, landlord-tenant conflicts, and contr...

Leading with Vulnerability: From the Courtroom to the Community

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Second Chances: Rewriting Life Through Clemency

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

From Clerkship to Private Practice: Research, Writing, and Challenging Assumptions

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Alexis Taitel, a commercial litigator and fourth-year associate at a large firm, spent her first two years after law school clerking in federal distri...

Behind the Lease: Supporting Restaurant Expansion Through Real Estate Law

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Eric Bernheim works at the intersection of real estate transactions and land use law—two areas that are often siloed but deeply interconnected in hi...

Why They Chose Law: Family Ties, Media Influence, and Career Purpose

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What really draws people to become lawyers? In this special bonus episode, we draw on previously unpublished clips with recent guests. You'll hear fro...

When the Feds Knock: Big Stakes in White-Collar Cases

18 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jaimie Nawaday is a former federal prosecutor and current white-collar defense and government investigations litigator. In this episode, she reflects ...

Negotiating Stability: The Strategy and Strain of Eviction Defense

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Ezra Lintner (they/she), a legal aid lawyer in San Francisco, discusses defending evicted tenants in a city on the forefront of a civ...

Moonlighting into M&A: Tradeoffs in Practice

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mergers, acquisitions, hostile takeovers...if you've ever watched television lawyers arguing on the big screen, you’ll know these terms. For transac...

Biglaw Class Action Litigation

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Samm Tillotson is a commercial litigator at an elite law firm, where she spends a lot of time defending class action lawsuits for insurance clients. W...

From Prosecution to Campus Policy: Following the Investigative Thread

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For Katie King, investigations have always been at the center of her work. As a federal prosecutor turned Title IX and institutional equity expert, sh...

Untangling Messy Records: The Defense Process in Securities Litigation

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tijana Brien, a partner at the elite law firm Cooley, specializes in high-stakes securities litigation. In this episode, she unpacks the complexities ...

Dirt Law: Real Estate and Land Use Litigation

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As a “dirt lawyer,” Don Pinto’s cases typically involve one party that wants to do something in real estate, and another party trying to stop it...

Inheritance Wars: A Battle of Wills

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lynette Paczkowski is a litigator at heart, and her career journey has taken her to the world of probate litigation. When a will is contested, the leg...

Medical Malpractice: From Error to Judgment

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Adam Deutsch is a personal injury lawyer who litigates medical malpractice claims...and he loves what he does. Although he opted for lawyer rather tha...

Leaving Biglaw for a "Portfolio" Career

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Former Biglaw attorney Cece Xie shares her unconventional journey from practicing law to building a portfolio career. After graduating law school, she...

Adapting to Biglaw: Getting Plugged into the Energy Sector

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Juan Dawson is a junior associate at a newly merged megafirm. He’s one of the firm’s many energy industry lawyers – or, as he puts it, a "lawyer...

Passion Over Paychecks: Starting Strong in Public Defense

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Victoria Nauman is a very recent law school graduate and state public defender. Like many law students, she entered law school intending to do some so...

Navigating Legal Career Crossroads: A Journey Through Law Firm Transitions

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Josh Offenhartz takes us through his career journey, marked by numerous transitions between law firms, sometimes sooner than he antic...

Employee Rights: One Client at a Time

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Paige Sparks is an employee rights lawyer who specializes in discrimination claims. In this episode, Paige talks navigating the EEOC process for aggri...

Brick by Brick: Building an Idea into a Movement

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Starting a nonprofit often sounds like a great idea, but execution requires vision, commitment, and grit. Laurie Robinson Hayden shares how she transi...

Happy Thanksgiving! What are lawyers thankful for?

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Thanksgiving! What are lawyers thankful for? The answers may surprise you. In this special episode, we share some previously-unreleased clips of...

Trust and Transparency: Immigration Advocacy Beyond and Within Borders

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As an immigration lawyer, Jennifer Quezada builds trust within local communities that need legal help to bring families together. She works primarily ...

Curiosity and the Cats: Developing Creative Legal Frameworks for Animal Protection

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Big change requires massive action. That's true whether we're talking about Carney Anne Nasser's career path or her work as an animal protection lawye...

Episode #100: Legal Career Storytelling

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In our 100th episode, hosts Kyle McEntee and Katya Valasek reflect on their legal backgrounds and how their journeys to, through, and after law school...

Partners by Law: Building a Life and Career in Law

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Lana and Nick Kuchinski have done a lot together, from chemical engineering to law school to getting married. Though the episode features their unique...

Entertainment Deals and Strategy: Getting to Yes

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Alexia Bedat is a U.K.-trained entertainment lawyer in New York City who predominately represents production companies in content deals, from podcasts...

Partners Against the Grain: Lawyers Suing Lawyers

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Taking on high-profile cases is never easy, especially when you're suing fellow lawyers for legal malpractice. Ronnie Richter and Eric Bland have foun...

Courtroom Theater: Early-Career Complex Litigation at a Large Firm

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Bola Adeniran is a theater kid turned mid-level associate at a large Dallas law firm. She practices complex litigation and it's a more natural progres...

Plusses and Minuses: Navigating HR with a Legal Mind

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Seret Gonzalez is in human resources with a startup after years of practicing law and legal recruiting. Her legal background has proven helpful in HR,...

Corporate Restructuring: Dealmaking and Litigation to Avoid Financial Collapse

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Kiran Vakamudi is a senior associate at an elite law firm who specializes in corporate restructuring for companies in financial trouble. When a compan...

Labor Relations: Before, During, and After Collective Bargaining Through Unions

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Richardson is a labor law lawyer with union clients, a seemingly significant pivot from his military service and defense contracting after college...

Legal Discipline: The Nicest Lawyer You Don't Want to Know

29 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As Chief Disciplinary Counsel at the U.S. Virgin Islands Supreme Court, Tanisha Bailey-Roka protects legal consumers and the rule of law. She details ...

Fired to Founder: Building and Running a Mega Plaintiff Personal Injury Firm

15 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After being abruptly fired from his first lawyer job, Mike Morse quickly pivoted to start his own solo practice focused exclusively on personal injury...

Ahead of the Curve: Influencing Legislation in a Dynamic Political Landscape

08 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jeremy Pisca is a state lobbyist working out of a law firm in a rural state capital. He discusses the personal and professional angles of relationship...

Capital Markets: Practicing U.S. Law in London

17 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Andrea Tompkins is a capital markets partner at a global law firm based in London. She started her career at a Magic Circle firm (she'll explain that)...

From Lab to Law: Protecting and Commercializing Research

10 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jenifer Slinskey manages the University of Pittsburgh's patent portfolio, a role that bridges the gap between academic research and industry commercia...

DC Lobbying: The Realities Behind the Headlines

03 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ludmilla Kasulke, a seasoned lawyer-lobbyist based in Washington, D.C., amplifies the voices of her clients. Her world is one of competing interests, ...

The Appeal of Appellate Law: Oral Advocacy, Puzzles, and Knowing When to Quit

27 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Many people enter law school or practice with one ambition, only to find it's not quite what they envisioned. For Raffi Melkonian, his initial fascina...

From Youthful Missteps to Elderly Client Service: Building an Unexpected Practice

20 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes it's a tough transition to law school - so tough you fail out. But what comes next depends on a willingness to reflect and seek support. In ...

Legal Engineering: Automating Privacy Policies Across States and Nations

13 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As a legal engineer at a legal technology company, Donata Stroink-Skillrud uses her knowledge and skills as a lawyer to scale privacy policies -- an e...

Navigating the Waters of Economic Growth in Indian Country

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Veronique Richardson, a partner specializing in water rights and economic development at a small firm, serves tribal entities and tribal members exclu...

Holistic Community Care: Legal Services for Low-Income, HIV/AIDS-Affected Individuals

29 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

JR Thomas, a client attorney at a community services nonprofit, Birmingham AIDS Outreach (BAO), that provides multifaceted services to individuals liv...

From Disillusioned to Dedication: Balancing Empathy, Reality, and the Law in Divorce Litigation

22 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jenn Russoniello is a family lawyer who started as a social worker disappointed in the system. Jenn highlights the emotional and practical challenges ...

Advocating for the Vulnerable: The Frontlines of Access to Justice

01 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

People need legal representation, regardless of financial means. Non-profits throughout the country, often called legal aid, play a crucial role in of...

I Judge The Law: Serving Justice from the Bench

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When the opportunity arises, seize it. That's one lesson from Judge Elizabeth Rohl, a trial court judge in a one-judge county who knew it was now or n...

Shaping Policy, Making Decisions: The Legal Affairs of Harris County

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Christian Menefee was elected as Harris County Attorney in 2020 at 32, the youngest ever and the first African-American in this role. Harris County, h...

The Legal Side of the Casino Floor: Navigating the Regulatory Maze

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever been on a casino floor, it's a maze by design. The legal corridors are just as challenging to navigate. In this episode, Ed Winkofsky, ...

Legal Operations and Compliance: The Intersection of Law and Business at a Multinational

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jessica Colon manages the legal operations and compliance programs for West Pharmaceutical, a public company doing business in more than 40 countries....

From Pause to Purpose: Rebuilding a Legal Career with Grit and Intention

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Geeta Tholan got a second chance within her legal career after a 10-year break to take care of her children. Her journey highlights the challenges and...

Energizing Indian Country: The Legal Side of Economic Development

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Pilar Thomas, a partner at a large firm, specializes in tribal energy and economic development. With a background in finance that took her across the ...

Navigating Chaos: Triumphs and Trials of a Public Defender

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Skinner is a public defender with passion. Criminal defense is high-stakes, sometimes chaotic work that can be extremely difficult, but Matt navi...

A Young Associate's Story: Navigating the Transition from Law School to Lawyer

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Allan Carlsen is fresh out of law school and just over a year into practice as a patent litigator at an elite boutique law firm. Unlike our typical ep...

From Biglaw to Bold Venture: Building a Successful Law Firm After an Ugly Exit

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Big firm. Big salary. Newly-minted partner. Karl Seelbach had made it before his attempt to leave with two of the firm's clients didn't go as planned....

Adapting in Adversity: Tech Product Lawyering While Blind

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jack Chen, an associate general counsel at Meta (formerly Facebook), is a product lawyer. With his focus on online advertising, Jack uses a holistic u...

Beyond the Billboards: Personal Injury Law, Defensor de Justicia

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Anderson Franco is a personal injury lawyer for his monolingual Spanish-speaking community, helping them understand their rights when they get hurt an...

Outside In-House Counsel: Small Business Lawyer

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Philip Selio, a solo practitioner, helps small businesses and entrepreneurs with their corporate law needs. He discusses managing all aspects of a sol...

Inside the Legal Arena: Trial Strategy, Transparency, and Transformation

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rob Alexander charted a challenging path from short-term contract work to his own law firm. Episode 49 chronicled his time on the doc review circuit, ...

Safeguarding Innocence: A Glimpse into the World of a Child Abuse Prosecutor

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Heather Stephenson, a deputy district attorney, prosecutes crimes against children. The conversation delves into the intricacies of the prosecution pr...

More Than Law: Defending Personal Injury and Work-Life Balance

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Liana Nobile, a trial attorney specializing in insurance defense litigation, predominantly handles personal injury lawsuits stemming from one major cl...

Inside the Deal Room: Unpacking M&A, VC Financing, and Work-Life Balance

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eric Lauria-Banta is a corporate transactional lawyer at the satellite office of a global law firm. As a senior associate, he wears multiple hats as h...

Adapting to Change in Local Government: A Legal Perspective

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jason Hernandez is a local government lawyer for a consolidated city and county government. He shares his journey from being a non-traditional law stu...

Early Career Clarity: From Immigration to Financial Litigation

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nathania Reyes litigates commercial disputes on behalf of financial services organizations like banks. Nathania recounts her journey from uncertain la...

Elevating Businesses to New Highs: Corporate Cannabis Practice

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mia Getlin specializes in the state-legal cannabis industry in Oregon and Washington. She shares insights into the challenges and complexities of navi...

Behind the Scenes of Whistleblower Litigation

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

David Lieberman represents whistleblowers who provide information to the federal government about their employer's fraud against the government. He di...

Decoding Commercial Law at a Tech Giant

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pia Biswas is a commercial lawyer at Microsoft. The company's legal department, her business unit's needs, and Pia's daily work reflect the complexity...

Family Matters: Dollars, Decisions, and Dealing with Divorce

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 emoti...

Death and Taxes: Estate Planning for High-Net-Worth Clients

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Linsey Gleason talks about her estate planning practice at a large firm. Her role involves helping clients determine their beneficiaries, trustees, an...

Immigration Battles: Human Trafficking Beyond Borders

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Angela Alvarado, a career-changer, discusses her role as an immigration lawyer with a legal aid organization in south Texas. She sheds light on the co...

Inside the Burrito with a Seasoned Franchise Attorney

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ryan Evans discusses his work as an in-house franchise and general business lawyer for Qdoba. He discusses his experience on both sides of the franchi...

Commercial Litigation at a Large Firm

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Mediation and Arbitration as Alternatives to Litigation

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After a long career in litigation, Diane Sorenson is transitioning to arbitration and mediation, also known as alternative dispute resolution or ADR. ...