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I Am The Law Podcast

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.

Tagged: Contracts

  • Entertainment Deals and Strategy: Getting to Yes

    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.

    98
    Oct 7, 2024
    27:31
  • Navigating the Waters of Economic Growth in Indian Country

    Veronique Richardson, a partner specializing in water rights and economic development at a small firm, serves tribal entities and tribal members exclusively. According to Veronique, "water is life." Not only is it significant as a natural resource, but it's significant culturally in Indian country. She helps tribal governments and their people navigate a deliberate balance between economic growth and preserving natural resources for future generations. Veronique discusses the challenges and complexities of representing tribes in water rights settlements, emphasizing the importance of advocacy, policy-making, and coalition-building. Additionally, she explains her role in economic development projects, including her role in bringing a Tesla dealership to tribal land. Veronique is a 2011 graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Law.

    83
    May 6, 2024
    25:24
  • From Pause to Purpose: Rebuilding a Legal Career with Grit and Intention

    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 triumphs of transitioning back into the workforce after an extended hiatus. Initially drawn to international law and diplomacy, Geeta found herself navigating a diverse array of roles, from giving voice to the pharmaceutical industry during biological weapons prevention treaty negotiations to energy law and consulting. Both before and during her hiatus, she grappled with feelings of uncertainty and guilt, torn between societal expectations and personal fulfillment. When it was time to return to work, however, she struggled to find an employer to take her on. Eventually she found the OnRamp Fellowship from Diversity Lab, designed to support individuals reentering the workforce after career breaks. Her transition back to work, amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, saw her leveraging her newfound perspective and honed skills to support Pfizer's efforts in global vaccine distribution and legal compliance. Geeta's story serves as an inspiring testament to the resilience and potential of individuals seeking to reignite their professional journeys, offering hope and encouragement to those navigating similar paths of career reinvention. Geeta is a 1995 graduate of the University of Richmond School of Law.

    75
    Feb 12, 2024
    34:57
  • Adapting in Adversity: Tech Product Lawyering While Blind

    Jack Chen, an associate general counsel at Meta (formerly Facebook), is a product lawyer. With his focus on online advertising, Jack uses a holistic understanding of Meta's ad business, product roadmaps, and the law to anticipate and address legal issues -- from data contracts to privacy regulations in a global context. Jack does what's already a complicated, difficult job in a world where digital accessibility has a long way to go. While he was born low-vision, he lost his eyesight entirely in high school, testing his resilience but ultimately providing a number of advantages he's grateful for and leverages daily. Jack is a graduate of Fordham Law School.

    70
    Dec 18, 2023
    31:34
  • Elevating Businesses to New Highs: Corporate Cannabis Practice

    Mia Getlin specializes in the state-legal cannabis industry in Oregon and Washington. She shares insights into the challenges and complexities of navigating the highly-regulated cannabis sector, emphasizing the importance of trust-building with clients coming from diverse backgrounds, including those transitioning from the illicit market. Mia highlights the role of advocacy in shaping industry regulations, issue spotting for compliance, and maintaining a supportive, problem-solving approach as a transactional attorney focused on finding solutions for her clients' needs. Throughout the conversation, she provides valuable perspectives on the legal intricacies and evolving dynamics of the cannabis business, from licensing to corporate structuring, offering a unique window into her role as a dedicated advocate for her clients in this rapidly changing field. Mia is a 2014 graduate of Pepperdine Caruso School of Law.

    61
    Sep 25, 2023
    31:30
  • Decoding Commercial Law at a Tech Giant

    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 you'd expect from a huge company with diverse product offerings. While legal strategy and document drafting is an essential part of her job, she views herself as a business advisor too. Pia is a 2010 graduate of the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law.

    59
    Sep 11, 2023
    23:49
  • Inside the Burrito with a Seasoned Franchise Attorney

    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 franchise relationship. He worked first as a lawyer for a company that franchises several different concepts (a franchisee) and then as a lawyer for a company that sells access to its systems (a franchisor). His work involves many different elements, from HR and commercial leases to negotiations and document preparation. Ryan is a graduate of Boston University School of Law.

    55
    Jun 5, 2023
    27:45
  • Sports & Entertainment Law: Making a Solo Firm Work Against the Odds

    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 own firm and why he thinks he was among the last standing. Jeremy is a graduate of Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

    47
    Jul 20, 2020
    31:16
  • In-House Counsel at the City of Detroit

    Choi Portis is a lawyer for the water and sewerage department in Detroit. She handles litigation for the department, develops policies and procedures, and reviews contracts—so one day is rarely the same as the next. Choi is a graduate of Thomas Cooley Law School.

    46
    May 13, 2019
    22:50
  • In-House Counsel: Where Prioritization Outweighs Perfection

    Jessica Morgan discusses her areas of responsibility as vice president of Legal for Boulder Brands, a public company that owns a variety of food manufacturers. Jessica oversees a team of regulatory experts, manages outside counsel and company’s intellectual property portfolio, negotiates contracts, and continues to automate as many legal processes as she can to save and make her company money. Jessica is a graduate of the University of Colorado Law School.

    30
    Nov 23, 2015
    21:44
  • Public Finance in New York City Biglaw

    Joan Kerecz discusses the various roles she’s played in helping public entities pay for, among other public projects, school and road expansions. Joan also talks to us about the on-campus interview climate at her law school and her decision to move firms after just two years. Joan is a graduate of Duke University School of Law.

    29
    Nov 9, 2015
    18:52
  • Staying Afloat to Pursue a Passion in Environmental Advocacy

    Justin Bloom went to law school to right environmental wrongs via the law. In this episode, he talks about his range of experiences. While his first job was defending environmental takings cases, his career took a winding path from tort litigation to immigration. He even quit a job after a boss asked him to coach clients to lie. He also worked directly for a model environmental advocacy organization that utilized citizen action to help government agencies remedy legal violations of the Clean Water Act. Today, Justin runs a nonprofit that uses a variety of strategies to protect coastal areas. While he and other volunteers work to make the organization financially stable, he's practicing law on the side to ensure that he is too. Justin is a graduate of Tulane University School of Law.

    27
    Oct 19, 2015
    24:52
  • Federal Pro Se Clerk: Helping Judges Dispose of Cases

    Vail Gardner served the Middle District of North Carolina for six years as a law clerk. In this episode, she describes the various types of federal law clerks, including each position's pros and cons. Vail was a pro se clerk, which means she worked directly for the district court as opposed to an individual judge. We'll hear about her role in drafting the court's opinions, as well as her current challenge: reentering law practice after taking time off for her family. Vail is a graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

    25
    Oct 5, 2015
    20:25
  • Video Game Law: Starting a Solo Practice with Niche Clients

    Ryan Morrison created a firm centered on helping video game developers. His work greatly varies depending on what his clients need, but often involves intellectual property and contracts. In this episode, Ryan shares his biggest challenges and how he built a rare practice from a pro bono matter.  Ryan is a 2013 graduate of New York Law School.

    21
    Jul 19, 2015
    24:37
  • Excelling at a Large Corporate Healthcare Firm

    Holly Carnell, a graduate of Loyola University Chicago, describes her challenge of getting a biglaw job after graduating from a regional law school. She spends a lot of time helping healthcare providers draft contracts, properly engage employees, and remain in compliance with the many applicable laws. While the job may have been difficult to get, excelling at it has more to do with doing quality work, managing junior associates, and exercising good judgment than where she went to school.

    15
    Jun 1, 2015
    26:08

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