In this energetic episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant sits down with Leah Stiegler, a labor and employment partner at Woods Rogers who views her practice as "privileged gossip" with high stakes. Leah shares her hilarious origin story—from a homemade broccoli costume to successfully lobbying her mayor at age 13—and explains why her hatred of business suits drives her mission to keep clients out of the courtroom through proactive culture building.

She reveals how she transforms dry compliance training into engaging "What's the Tea?" sessions and navigates the complex intersection of global events and workplace dynamics. Leah offers critical insights into the modern office, warning about the rise of ChatGPT-generated demand letters and the morale-killing effects of employee surveillance software. For a candid look at balancing legal rigor with human empathy—and why transparency is the future of management—listen now.

In this timely and pertinent episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant sits down with Jacqueline Goralczyk, a modern-day crisis counsel who guides organizations through their worst digital nightmares. Jacqueline shares her fascinating pivot from running a real estate title agency to becoming a leading voice in cybersecurity law, driven by the sudden explosion of wire fraud in 2017.

Jacqueline breaks down her area of practice into two distinct zones: "Peacetime" governance and "Wartime" incident response. She provides a front-line look at the AI arms race, explaining how threat actors now use technology to create flawless phishing emails and deepfakes — and why companies must deploy "defensive AI" to survive. She offers strategic advice on the critical hours and days following a data breach, warning why senior leadership cannot simply delegate crisis management to IT.

Beyond the immediate crisis, Jacqueline offers a sober analysis of the fragmented U.S. regulatory landscape, predicting that AI regulation will likely mirror the complex, 50-state patchwork of data breach laws rather than a federal standard. She also explores the vital, often overlooked collaboration required between incident response teams and litigators to mitigate the growing threat of class action lawsuits following an incident.

In this inspiring episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant sits down with CJ Evans, a partner at Willis Law Group whose career is defined by a singular philosophy: delivering the highest standard of service, regardless of the client. CJ reveals how she bridges the gap between two vastly different worlds—navigating complex commercial insurance litigation and guiding families through often-emotional pro bono legal representation.

CJ connects her high-stakes corporate counsel work with her deep dedication to community, sharing insights from her time as a school board trustee during the pandemic and her pro bono work at a local legal clinic. She offers a forward-looking perspective on technology, warning of the reputational threats deepfakes pose to businesses while championing AI as a powerful equalizer for attorneys re-entering the workforce after raising families. From unjamming gridlocked cases as "The Fixer" to empowering women in her community, CJ provides a blueprint for a legal career built on resilience, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to service.

From working the second shift on a brake manufacturing assembly line to advising the world's leading biotech innovators, Matt Jorge’s path to patent law is anything but typical.

In this illuminating episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant sits down with Matt to explore the complex intersection where "engineering meets science." Matt shares how his hands-on background informs his work protecting cutting-edge technologies, often involving inventions across multiple fields.

Matt also provides a tactical framework on using generative AI for patent research, revealing how he uses tools like ChatGPT to perform "needle in a haystack" prior art searches, including using image recognition to track down obscure video evidence. Beyond the technical, Matt discusses the importance of building cross-disciplinary legal teams and shares the story behind "Patents and Pancakes," his unique community-building initiative in Chicago.

This conversation offers a practical look at protecting intellectual property in a rapidly evolving landscape and how to build a career defined by technical expertise and genuine connection.

In this tactical episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant sits down with Mark Rose, a partner at Roig Lawyers who brings a rare "triple threat" background to the legal industry: Industrial Engineer, MBA, and seasoned litigator. Mark reveals how he applies engineering principles—like queuing models and bottleneck analysis—to transform law firm operations from reactive to proactive.

Mark breaks down his philosophy of choosing "data over vibes," detailing how his firm uses proprietary "early warning" systems to track litigation trends before lawsuits are even served. He offers a grounded perspective on AI implementation, comparing the technology to a "nail gun" — a tool that accelerates construction but still requires a master builder to frame the house. From applying industrial engineering concepts to fix workflow bottlenecks to navigating the complex guardrails of client consent, Mark provides a strategic blueprint for efficiency that never loses sight of the human element of advocacy.

In this forward-looking episode of The Litigator's Edge, host Aniket Sawant sits down with Hiba Anver, a leading corporate immigration attorney and strategic advisor to some of the nation's most innovative companies. Hiba shares her inspiring journey from modest beginnings as the granddaughter of refugees to becoming a prominent voice briefing Congressional staffers and shaping the national conversation on talent mobility.

Hiba challenges the traditional view of immigration, reframing it not as a cost, but as a critical long-term investment where high-skilled workers "invest" their talent in the U.S. economy. She discusses the high stakes of the "global race for talent," warning that without modern policies, the next Google or Tesla will be built elsewhere. She also shares how navigating sudden, volatile shifts in executive policy transformed her practice from transactional work to high-level corporate advisory, and offers a nuanced perspective on why AI — while powerful — can never fully replace the human empathy needed when uprooting a life.

From providing expert commentary on major financial news networks to co-founding the pioneering "Immigration Nerds" podcast, this conversation offers a compelling look at the intersection of economic policy, business strategy, and the generational dreams that drive human migration.

In this insightful and pragmatic episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant speaks with Tiffany Gehrke, an intellectual property litigator who approaches legal strategy with the problem-solving mind of an engineer. Tiffany shares her unique path from writing code and managing complex data systems to protecting the assets of global brands.

She breaks down the mechanics of modern digital enforcement, explaining how to win the game of "Whac-A-Mole" against domain squatters using UDRP procedures. Tiffany also offers a sophisticated analysis of the intersection of AI and IP —discussing the hidden dangers of bias in AI training data for trademarks and the evolving legal battle over whether AI outputs "dilute" the market for copyrighted works. From her innate drive to figure out "how things work" — evidenced by dismantling a dryer at age 10 — to her deep technical fluency, Tiffany delivers a precise playbook for securing trademarks, copyrights, and patents against the complex threats of the digital age.

In this episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant sits down with Sheldon—a distinguished bankruptcy litigator turned educator at Harvard Law and Chicago-Kent—to discuss the immutable currency of a lawyer's life: their reputation. Sheldon shares the harrowing story of challenging a compromised judge just months before federal indictments landed, a move that likely saved his firm from scandal.

Drawing on 50 years of experience, Sheldon connects the lessons of the past to the ethical minefields of today. He discusses why uncorrected AI hallucinations are just a new variation of old-fashioned laziness, how to avoid the "slippery slope" of small ethical compromises, and why the "handshake deal" is still the ultimate mark of a great lawyer.

This conversation is a profound guide on how to navigate a complex profession without losing your soul, anchored by the timeless advice Sheldon received from his father: "You’re issued one reputation—it’s up to you whether you keep it."

Step inside the highest levels of tax administration with Mike Desmond, the 48th Chief Counsel of the IRS, on The Litigator's Edge. Mike details the immense challenge of implementing the historic Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the sudden, monumental pivot to managing COVID-19 relief, which transformed the IRS from a revenue collector into an economic lifeline. He dispels persistent myths about the "audit lottery"—revealing the often-random nature of enforcement—and shares his pragmatic philosophy that the best legal victory is often a quiet resolution, not a courtroom battle. From navigating the uncertainty of political transitions to running 16 Boston Marathons, Mike offers a unique perspective on endurance and leadership. For a candid look at policy, politics, and the future of tax controversy, listen now.

In this intriguing episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant sits down with Dennis Kass, a powerhouse trial lawyer named California’s Civil Litigator of the Year. Dennis shares his remarkable journey from working inside an insurance company at age 16 to becoming the architect of a landmark $8.2 million verdict that rewrote the playbook on combating insurance fraud.

Dennis provides a masterclass on the strategic pivot from playing defense to going on the offensive against organized crime rings. He discusses the modern "arms race" of litigation, revealing how he uses AI to uncover massive staged-accident schemes while battling increasingly sophisticated, global fraud. Beyond the courtroom, Dennis shares his philosophy on managing a 180-attorney firm, the importance of lifelong mentorship, and a surreal anecdote about having lunch with a Cambodian prince.

This conversation offers a fascinating look at what it takes to be a true trial lawyer, the future of complex litigation, and the legacy of a career spent fighting the good fight.