The Jabot

Kathryn chats with Madiba Dennie, deputy editor at Balls and Strikes, about her new book, "The Originalism Trap". Discover how originalist ideology affects our legal system, and why it's crucial to challenge it. A must-listen for anyone curious about the evolving role of law and justice!

Highlights

• Potential of the law to help or hurt people.
• Mediba's career path in public interest law.
• Transition from legal practice to legal commentary.
• Writing process of "The Originalism Trap."
• The Originalism Trap: Motivation behind writing the book.
• Importance of reconstruction amendments in refuting originalism.
• Modern consequences of originalism: Dobbs and Bruen cases.
• Originalism's flawed historical analysis.
• Originalism's strategic organizational success.
• Federalist Society's influence on conservative legal professionals.
• Inclusive constitutionalism as a counter to originalism.
• Effective communication: Making interpretations matter to regular people.
• The broader impact of judicial decisions on various issues.
• Emerging positive trends: Law students and optimism.
• Understanding history to drive change and hope.

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Kathryn chats with Peter Bronstein, a radio show host and founder of Legal Steps. Peter shares why he became a lawyer, driven by a desire for fairness, and narrates his journey from in-house counsel to successful independent practice. Discover compelling stories of his career highs, advice for aspiring lawyers, and insights on challenges faced by small businesses today, including navigating new regulations like the Corporate Transparency Act. It's a must-listen for anyone interested in legal careers and business law!

Highlights

• Defense of a young Bitcoin exchange owner.
• Making the leap to start a solo practice: motivations and challenges.
• Importance of understanding law practice management before going solo.
• Early strategies for building a new practice.
• Challenges faced by small businesses in 2024.
• Corporate Transparency Act: new regulatory requirements for businesses.
• Value of regulations discussed.
• Importance of legal expenses: "Pay me now or pay me 10 times later."
• Transition to radio show host and purpose behind Ask Brian.
• Highs and lows of a legal career: litigation victories and bankruptcy heartbreaks.

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Dive into the latest episode of The Jabob Podcast and special guest Jane Arnold, partner at Polsinelli. Discover Jane's unconventional path to law and her insights on mentoring, flexible work hours, and the future of diversity in Big Law. Listen for inspiring advice and a peek into the evolving legal landscape.

Highlights

• Jane Arnold's career path and flexibility in plans.
• Working in DC vs. District Offices.
• Mentorship and its impact on career growth.
• Collaborative approach and the benefits of in-person vs. virtual meetings.
• Strategies for effective feedback in a law firm.
• The "team concept" and promoting diversity.
• Advice for first-year associates: curiosity, precision, and hard work.
• Overcoming biases and promoting women in Big Law.
• Flexible working hours and managing work-life balance.
• Future of diversity in the workplace and AI disruption.

Episode Resources

• [email protected]
• https://www.polsinelli.com/jane-e-arnold

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Dive into an inspiring episode as Kathryn Rubino hosts Albany law student Jonas Caballero. Discover Jonas's incredible journey from protesting the Iraq War to overcoming incarceration and addiction, now excelling in law school and fighting for civil rights. A must-listen for a story of resilience and advocacy.

Highlights

• Reporting on human rights in the West Bank.
• Struggle with PTSD leading to incarceration.
• Roadblocks faced in re-entry post-incarceration.
• Rejection from multiple law schools due to criminal history.
• Persistence and honesty leading to law school acceptance.
• Overcoming 1L challenges as a non-traditional student.
• Continuous self-reminder of mission for civil rights.
• Role in Student Bar Association advocating for formerly incarcerated.
• Positive reception and support from law school faculty.
• Importance of amplifying voices of formerly incarcerated students.
• Law school environment fostering change and acceptance.
• Interning with the Abolitionist Law Center.
• Focus on international law and prisoner rights.
• Need for diversion programs over incarceration.
• Favorite law school experience: supportive faculty.

Episode Resources

• Class Action Challenges Denial from Prison Early Release Programs on Basis of Disability: https://www.kllflaw.com/news-articles/class-action-challenges-denial-from-prison-early-release-programs-on-basis-of-disability
• Prison Rape Elimination Act at 20 – Next Steps (Speech on Capitol Hill) https://youtu.be/JgrB33WnAGM?si=6NrxQZfMN-pl9_oD&t=1194
• Sexually Assaulted In A NYC Jail? Don't Hold Your Breath For A Timely Investigation https://gothamist.com/news/sexually-assaulted-in-a-nyc-jail-dont-hold-your-breath-for-a-timely-investigation
• Don't Lock Me Up, Help Me Clean Up (NY Daily News) https://www.pressreader.com/usa/new-york-daily-news/20181021/281547996870524
• NYC Inmates Call 311 To Report Mistreatment, But Is Anyone Listening? https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-inmates-call-311-to-report-mistreatment-but-is-anyone-listening
• Caballero '25 Speaks to National Audience on Prison Reform https://www.albanylaw.edu/spotlight/student/caballero-25-speaks-national-audience-prison-reform

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In this episode, Kathryn interviews Catherine Dawson, General Counsel at Affinipay, discusses her career transition from big law to in-house counsel, emphasizing her interest in technology. She also talks about the benefits of using AI in legal practice, such as task automation and increased efficiency. Dawson recounts her experience of working part-time while starting a family, emphasizing the possibility of work-life balance in law. She provides advice to parents on navigating their careers; suggesting reevaluation and adaptation based on changing situations.

Highlights

• Insights about law school, career path, and working in an in-house role
• Entering a legal career in the technology space and challenging issues with AI
• Transitioning from Biglaw to in-house and understanding roles within a company
• The potential of AI for lawyers and how it can help save time and do more meaningful work
• Advice on prioritizing different aspects of life at different stages and making choices as per personal needs
• How being full-time in-house differs from being full-time at a big law and how it was more feasible while her kids were in elementary school
• How to reevaluate life stages and job demands as children grow older

Episode Resources

• https://www.affinipay.com/company/about-us/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-d-dawson

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In this episode, Kathryn interviews Erin Gordon, author of "Look What You Made Me Do", a memoir exposing a toxic culture in a prominent law firm. Erin shares her experience of continuous micro-harassments, personal defamation, and inadequate work allocation, leading to extreme stress and impeding her professional growth. Despite having a strong legal case against the firm, practical difficulties meant she had to endure the environment with minimal improvement.

Highlights

• Insights on the pressure to stay in big law firms despite negative experiences
• The turning point when she consulted employment lawyers who advised her to leave the firm
• The long-term impact on her career, including self-esteem issues, lack of professional growth, and financial loss
• Erin's realization that she wasn't a bad lawyer, but rather a victim of a system that prioritizes loyalty over individual experiences

Episode Resources https://eringordonauthor.com/

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In this episode, Kathryn interviews Dina Segal, the Chief Legal Officer at Gusto, and discusses her personal and professional journey including her transition from a big law firm to an in-house counsel position and her experiences as a working mother.

She speaks about the Lexis Plus platform's innovative Judicial Brief Analysis tool and highlights the importance of understanding the business, building trust, and creating impactful solutions. Dina, a board member of the SunLaw Group, which supports women in-house counsel, also talks about the challenges faced by women in the legal profession.

Dina emphasizes work-life balance and advises against measuring balance on a day-to-day basis. She promotes mental health awareness in the legal industry and encourages self-forgiveness on tough days.

Highlights

• Dina's background and why she decided to attend law school, and her early interest in advocacy
• Her pathway to in-house law and the importance of understanding the business you're in when working in-house
• Career progression in-house and the challenges and milestones for those seeking an in-house career
• Dina's experience of transitioning the SunLaw Group's activities digitally during the COVID-19 pandemic
• The importance of being present wherever you are, whether it's at work or with family and suggests viewing balance over longer time periods
• The lasting impact of small but meaningful moments with children
• Advice to aspiring lawyers and the importance of identifying their fundamental driver or passion
• Significance of keeping the larger picture in mind during challenging periods

Episode Resources

• https://gusto.com/company-news/the-rise-of-women-entrepreneurs

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In this episode, directors Cara Bain and Allison Rosner from Major Lindsay in Africa discussed the trajectory of their legal careers and the importance of workplace partnerships. While detailing their unique career paths, they stressed the benefits of diverse backgrounds and perspectives in enhancing team performance. They encouraged listeners to be receptive to diverse opportunities, stay proactive, and be open-minded in their careers.

Highlights

• Allison discusses her atypical path to the legal industry. She shares how her curiosity about the private equity industry led her to join it and ultimately work as a Chief of Staff to the General Counsel in a Legal Department.
• Allison talks about forming relationships with candidates early on in their careers and guiding them as their career progresses.
• Challenges in the legal industry are discussed, such as the tension between companies and staff over remote work and the internal pay inequities due to the vast increase in compensation over the last five years.
• Allison gives tips on how to get up the nerve to negotiate during a job transition, encouraging people to get out of their comfort zone and seek support from mentors or cheerleaders.
• Discussion on the role of mentorship and peer support in retaining talent within the legal profession.
• The importance of considering every opportunity and starting the job hunt before feeling ready is emphasized.

Episode Resources

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-rosner-b837736
• https://www.mlaglobal.com/en/people/cara-bain?byconsultantorauthor=cara-bain

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In this episode, Kathryn interviewed Sejal Patel from Sage Ivy Consulting. Sejal traces her unique career from law to consulting, emphasizing that law schools should better guide students about alternative legal careers and business development. She suggests young lawyers maintain their professional relationships from law school, cultivate new ones through LinkedIn and conferences, and develop friendships with clients. Together with Kathryn, they stress the importance of early start in professional networking and continuous learning for a successful career.

Highlights

• Navigating the paths after law school and confronting the realities of alternative legal careers
• Encouraging business development as a part of lifestyle, exploring hobbies and fun activities with potential clients
• Why you should start early with business development, ideally during law school years
• How to develop networks and business for those who don't have those kinds of connections from diverse backgrounds
• The importance of turning clients into friends for gaining inside knowledge and sustaining long-term relationships
• The need to attend bar association conferences and events for networking opportunities
• The importance of early business development network building

Episode Resources

• http://www.sageivyconsulting.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/sbpatel/

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Kathryn interviewed Frieda Garcia, a managing partner at BAL. Frieda shares her journey to becoming an immigration lawyer, primarily influenced by her family's legal immigration issues. Although the field is challenging due to its complexity and politicized nature, it is also rewarding, particularly in cases where she's assisted scientists and nurses.

Frieda commends her firm's intentional diversity efforts and credits this to her rise as a Latina woman. Toward the end of the episode, she reflects on the unpredictable nature of immigration law, emphasizing resilience and empathy as essential attributes. She offers advice to aspiring lawyers, encouraging resilience, forming strong relationships, treating others with kindness, and prioritizing self-care.

Highlights

• Frieda Garcia and her motive behind pursuing law
• Her first experience with immigration law
• The intricacies of looking at immigration law from the perspective of employers
• The start of her passion for immigration law
• BAL's recognition as the most diverse law firm
• The importance of adaptability and resilience in dealing with the unpredictability of her work in immigration law
• How young professionals in law should persevere towards their goals, make and learn from mistakes, and forge strong relationships
• Value of respectfulness and self-care in the demanding field of law and leadership
• How aspiring law professionals should continuously work towards their goals despite the obstacles

Episode Resources

• Link to Frieda's bio: https://www.bal.com/people/frieda-garcia/
• Frieda video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2L24flp-cY
• BAL Insights page: https://www.bal.com/insights/

Episode Sponsored By https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus

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