Join us for an engaging conversation with Katie Diemer, managing partner at Diemer & Wei LLP, as she reflects on her 41-year career in law, detailing her unexpected journey from aspiring pediatrician to a seasoned litigator. Katie shares valuable insights into the world of financial litigation and reorganization, representing creditors and other parties in bankruptcy. She emphasizes the importance of expectation setting with clients, her firm's hourly billing approach, and the significance of building strong client relationships. Katie also discusses her path to founding her own firm, the strategic importance of diversity within her practice, and offers advice for lawyers on proactive problem-solving in their careers.

Show Notes:

(1:05) Introduction and Practice Overview: Katie Diemer, managing partner at Diemer & Wei, LLP, discusses her firm's specialization in the crossover between litigation and reorganization.

(6:15) Billing Practices: The firm operates on an hourly fee basis and is transparent with clients about costs.

(17:00) Client Communication: Emphasizing the importance of open communication between lawyers and clients, especially regarding billing.

(20:00) Path to Law: Katie's initial aspiration to become a pediatrician and her unexpected journey into law.

(28:55) Finding Litigation: Discovering a passion for litigation during law school after initially pursuing transactional work.

(35:00) Influence of Family and Travel: The impact of a family of academics and international exposure on her approach to interacting with diverse individuals.

(47:45) Founding the Firm: The circumstances that led to starting her own law firm after a period as a stay-at-home mom.

(63:30) Client Retention: The surprising success in clients following her when she started her own firm.

(88:45) Importance of Diversity: Emphasizing the value of diversity in a law firm for problem-solving and understanding a diverse client base and jury pool in Silicon Valley.

(102:00) Changes for Women in Law: Reflecting on the changes and persistent biases for women in the legal profession over her 41-year career, and the importance of proactive problem-solving.

Email Katie: katie@diemerwei.com

Want to join the show as a guest? Email us: zihao@legion.law

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Music: lofi type beat "flower market" by snoozy beats.

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