Podcast
I Am The Law
Hosted by LawHub powered by LSAC · EN
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.
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Regulating Ethics in Politics: Advisory Opinions and Agency Operations
3w ago00:26:53Tap to summarizeAmanda 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 Juno and private student loansLearn more about Haynes Boone LLP
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Fine Print, Big Money: Making Insurers Pay Up
4w ago00:42:49Tap to summarizeStorm 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 Haynes Boone LLPLearn more about Juno and private student loansAccess LawHub today!
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One Career in Three Acts: Big Law, Contract Work, Plaintiff Firm
Jul 1500:32:52Tap to summarizeCharles 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 Juno and private student loansAccess LawHub today!Learn more about Haynes Boone LLP
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Sharpening the Craft of Special Victims Prosecution
Jun 1000:33:39Tap to summarizeLike 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 Haynes Boone LLPLearn more about Juno and private student loansLearn more about Juno and private student loansAccess LawHub today!
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After the Headlines: Lawsuits in the Wake of Disaster
Jun 300:31:05Tap to summarize.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 Haynes Boone LLPLearn more about Juno and private student loansLearn more about Juno and private student loans
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More Than Legal Advice: Building a Firm for High-Conflict Divorce
May 2700:27:40Tap to summarizeJonathan 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 Juno and private student loansAccess LawHub today!Learn more about Juno and private student loansLearn more about Haynes Boone LLP
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Building a Practice Around Delaware's Corporate Code
May 1300:29:01Tap to summarizeMark 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 LawLearn more about Haynes Boone LLPLearn more about BlueprintLearn more about Boston University School of LawLearn more about Seton HallLearn more about Juno and private student loans
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Federal Bankruptcy Judge: Running a Second Chance Court
Apr 2900:33:38Tap to summarizeJudge 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 LawLearn more about Haynes Boone LLPAccess LawHub today!Learn more about BlueprintLearn more about Seton HallLearn more about Juno and private student loansLearn more about Boston University School of Law
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An Introvert's Path to Running an Immigration Law Firm
Apr 2200:33:44Tap to summarizeAs 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 Juno and private student loansLearn more about Seton HallLearn more about Boston University School of LawAccess LawHub today!Learn more about BlueprintLearn more about Oklahoma City University School of LawLearn more about Haynes Boone LLPLearn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law
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IRS Tax Lawyer: From Tax Strategist to the Government (replay)
Apr 1500:24:55Tap to summarizeDeepan 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 LawLearn more about Haynes Boone LLPLearn more about Seton HallLearn more about Juno and private student loansLearn more about Boston University School of LawLearn more about Blueprint
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