A Show About Law Jobs
Victoria Neuman is a very recent law school graduate and state public defender. Like many law students, she entered law school intending to do some sort of public service, but lacking specificity. This episode focuses on her transition to practice. Victoria discusses some early career challenges, including imposter syndrome, building trust with clients, how she balances kindness and collegiality with being adversarial when necessary, and maintaining a work-life balance. She also candidly discusses financial realities for public defenders. Victoria is a graduate of William & Mary Law School.
This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.
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In this episode, Josh Offenharz takes us through his career journey, marked by numerous transitions between law firms, sometimes sooner than he anticipated. From navigating generational differences in firm cultures to managing the evolving dynamics of career progression, client relationships, and work-life balance, Josh shares how his ability to adapt and recognize key opportunities has been integral to his progression. He candidly discusses the challenges that come with firm economics shifting unexpectedly, highlighting what happens when your goals collide with your employer's evolving challenges and priorities. Josh reflects on how stayed attuned to the surrounding opportunities and knew when it was time to move on. Concluding with his most recent transition, he reveals how his security of position at his immediately-prior firm ultimately led him to find a better fit. Josh is a graduate of Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law.
This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.
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Paige Sparks is an employee rights lawyer who specializes in discrimination claims. In this episode, Paige talks navigating the EEOC process for aggrieved current and former employees, generating clients through social media, and how she navigates her ADHD, a diagnosis she received a few years into practice. Through informational law videos and transparent looks into her life, Paige has garnered more than two million followers across TikTok and Instagram, which has both clear benefits and drawbacks. She also discusses her approach to caseload and cashflow management--each key for a contingency practice. Paige is a graduate of St. Louis University School of Law.
This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.
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Starting a nonprofit often sounds like a great idea, but execution requires vision, commitment, and grit. Laurie Robinson Hayden shares how she transitioned from informal networking among peers to establishing an organization that supports professional development for women of color lawyers. Laurie discusses how she built a mission-driven board, decided she was ready to transition from full-time lawyer to full-time CEO, and let go when she could afford to pay staff. She talks about embracing innovation without losing focus, especially in the face of financial incentives. Laurie is a graduate of Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.
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Happy Thanksgiving! What are lawyers thankful for? The answers may surprise you. In this special episode, we share some previously-unreleased clips of recent I Am The Law guests with their answer to everyone's least favorite Thanksgiving question. Hosts Katya Valasek and Kyle McEntee intersperse commentary throughout our lawyer guests talking about giving voice to the voiceless, achieving their dream job, being a part of a team, problem solving, money, working really hard, and much more.
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As an immigration lawyer, Jennifer Quezada builds trust within local communities that need legal help to bring families together. She works primarily with Spanish-speaking clients in their native language, and uses her own background as an immigrant to offer advice and counsel that creates a sense of security amidst a complex and lengthy legal process. Beyond her legal work, Jennifer discusses marketing, fee transparency, and her firm's strategy to serve additional underserved communities. Although public service is often associated with government roles and non-profits, Jennifer demonstrates that private law firms representing individual clients can also fulfill this mission. Jennifer is a graduate of the William & Mary Law School.
This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.
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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 lawyer. She shifted to animal law five years after earning her law license, first as an unpaid intern (while working as a full-time lawyer) and then for several nonprofits that specialize in strategic advocacy and impact litigation.
Carney Anne discusses what fueled her efforts to bring about significant legal outcomes. including delivering prosecutors evidence and analysis to take down Joe Exotic, the so-called "Tiger King," for animal trafficking. She's successfully and creatively leveraged diverse legal frameworks, often repurposing laws in unexpected ways to achieve her goals—a strategy that underscores the broader lesson that innovative legal thinking can upend systems from within. Carney Anne is a graduate of Tulane Law School.
This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.
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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 shape this podcast's discussions. Kyle talks about his journey, beginning with the founding of Law School Transparency (LST), a nonprofit focused on consumer advocacy, and leading to his role at LSAC. He explores the challenges of enacting meaningful change in the face of opposition, emphasizing how crucial it is for advocates to grasp their audience's needs to be persuasive. Katya recounts how her legal career has evolved along a consistent axis of guiding people to the legal careers they want. She discusses her personal and professional fulfillment in the face of persistent questions about her career choices. Katya is a graduate of Michigan State College of Law and Kyle is a graduate of Vanderbilt Law School.
This episode is hosted by Collin Takita.
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Lana and Nick Kuchinski have done a lot together, from chemical engineering to law school to getting married. Though the episode features their unique journey as a couple, their insights are valuable for anyone considering or currently navigating law school. The conversation touches on competition, jealousy, factoring family into decision-making, support, and the varied ways individual paths shape legal careers. One partner faced more challenges in the job market, while the other had greater success securing interviews and offers. They share how these experiences affected their relationship, particularly during the job search, and draw comparisons to the dynamics between friends, roommates, and classmates. Lana and Nick are graduates of the University of Colorado Law School.
This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.
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Alexia Bedat is a U.K.-trained entertainment lawyer in New York City who predominately represents production companies in content deals, from podcasts to documentaries and a lot in between. With a bird's eye view of the entertainment industry, she's able to provide legal and business advice to forge deals that let the creative process blossom. Through careful listening and strategic questioning, Alexia can rein in clients who could blow up a deal over a misunderstanding. The episode also dives into the challenges of balancing creative integrity with legal clearance, the stories a contract tells, and the rewarding experience of seeing creative projects come to life. Alexia is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and has an LL.M. from Columbia University Law School.
This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.
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Taking on high-profile cases is never easy, especially when you're suing fellow lawyers for legal malpractice. Ronnie Richter and Eric Bland have found success not in spite of their differences, but because of them. Ronnie, with his measured speech and precise actions, is the steady hand, while Eric, known for bringing intensity and disruption, shakes things up. Despite their contrasting styles, they are united by a shared purpose: righting wrongs and holding others accountable, all while maintaining a common vision for how to run their law firm.
Eric and Ronnie may be best known for their role in the high-profile cases involving Alex Murdaugh, a South Carolina attorney who embezzled millions from his law firm and clients, and murdered his wife and son. While we touch on these case tangentially, this episode is much more about litigating legal malpractice and finding a law partner who shares your values, work ethic, and business sensibilities. With anecdotes ranging from their first big legal malpractice case to their current approach to mediation prep, this episode offers a raw, honest look at the ethics, accountability, and tenacity required to hold lawyers to the high standards they deserve. Importantly, they also highlight how young (and seasoned) lawyers find themselves in hot water, and how they can avoid it.
Ronnie and Eric are graduates of the University of South Carolina School of Law.
This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.
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