The Portia Project

Lee H. Rosenthal is the Chief Judge of The Southern District of Texas. She discusses her  distinguished career, special relationship with her law clerks, and role leading the Federal Rules Committee. She also provides tips for newer lawyers to grow and excel in their careers. 

Mentors are invaluable. This special joint episode highlights individual mentoring relationships. This episode features Judge Dorothy W. Nelson, Senior Circuit Judge on the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and her former law clerk Lisa Kloppenberg, a University of Santa Clara Law Professor, former law school Dean and Interim Provost of Santa Clara University. Host M.C. Sungaila also counts Judge Nelson among her mentors, having served as one of Judge Nelson's externs.

As part of a Girls Inc. Of Orange County "Girls Meet the Workforce" job readiness And Externship program, about 100 11thgrade girls from Orange County gathered at Santa Ana College for a live recording of the Portia Project® podcast, which featured prominent female lawyers and judges from Southern California.

This live event featured previous podcast guests and was tailored for Girls Inc. of Orange County attendees. In addition to podcast host M.C. Sungaila, panelists included Justices Eileen Moore and Joanne Motoike of the California Court of Appeal; Justice Kimberly Knill of the Orange County Superior Court; Orange County Senior Assistant Public Defender Tracy LeSage; and Loyola Law School professor, Rebecca Delfino.

Girls Inc. of Orange County has been a respected member of the non-profit community since 1954. The mission of Girls Inc. is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. We put our mission into practice through the Girls Inc. experience that equips girls to navigate gender, economic, and social barriers and grow into healthy, educated, and independent adults. Health, education, and independence are the three main areas that surround our program curricula.

Girls Inc. of Orange County positively changes the lives of 4,000 girls, kindergarten to 18 years old, each year by providing year-round holistic, compensatory, and intentional programming focusing on STEM, financial literacy, sound body image, healthy relationships, and college and career readiness.

A live Women's History Month podcast panel with the Product Liability Advisory Council (PLAC) Women's Forum held at Hyundai Motor America Headquarters features Orange County Superior Court Presiding Judge Maria Hernandez, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, Jennifer Keller of Keller Anderle, General Counsel of Origence Erin Wilson, and Trellis Legal Research Co-Founder Nicole Clark. Moderated by host M.C. Sungaila, this episode features an engaging conversation among the panelists about overcoming professional obstacles to lead on the bench, at trial, in elected office, in the general counsel's office, and as a start-up founder.

In this episode, we explore the transformative experience of law school clinics and their pivotal role in shaping the careers of aspiring lawyers. Today, we have the privilege of hearing from three exceptional graduates of Loyola Law School of Los Angeles' Ninth Circuit Clinic: Tina Kuang, Sydney Wong, and Molly Okamura. Under the guidance of our host, M.C. Sungaila, these talented alumni share their remarkable journeys, where they, along with their law school teammates, took on the challenge of briefing, arguing, and ultimately prevailing in immigration appeals before the esteemed Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Their stories exemplify how participation in law school clinics can sharpen legal skills, nurture professional growth, and accelerate careers in the legal arena.

As part of our Space series, Christine Calvé, General Counsel of the Canadian Space Agency, joins the podcast to share her career journey from ballet to the law, the importance of mentorship to career success, and the value of taking on stretch opportunities.

Allison Brecher, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of growing fintech startup and digital retirement platform Vestwell, shares her journey from journalism to the law, and from law practice to in-house. She provides insights into how to be a general counsel who is proactive and integrated into the business, and the opportunity to build a department and company culture from the ground up at Vestwell.

California Court of Appeal Justice Martha Gooding shares her career journey from litigator, arbitrator, and bar leader to the trial and then the appellate court bench. She also shares some tips on effective advocacy, the role of a collegial legal community in fostering an enjoyable practice, and the importance of running your own race and not comparing your progress to others.

Nonprofit leader and resilient spirit Michelle Wulfestieg joins the podcast to share her personal and career journey, as well as provide some guidance on finding your own life purpose. Michelle, the executive director of the SoCal Hospice Foundation, came back from a near-death experience to create The Heavenly Home, Orange County's first nonprofit end-of-life care facility that provides round-the-clock care to terminally ill individuals. This is an inspiring episode featuring a beautiful and wise soul.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Catrina Melograna, a Senior Project Leader-Space Policy and Strategy at The Aerospace Corporation. In this inspiring episode, she shares her journey from pursuing a career in law to becoming a leading expert in the field of space policy. Discover how she found her passion in space law and policy, overcame challenges, and built a successful career in the industry. This episode is not only inspiring to those interested in Space Law but also helpful to anyone navigating a career shift. Learn about the unexpected twists and turns that led her to her dream job and how she overcame challenges along the way. So, tune in to this episode with Catrina Melograna today.