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As an international student graduating from a U.S. law school, Jimmy Lai struggled to find employers willing to sponsor him. Rather than leave the U.S., he chose to build something from scratch. In this episode, Jimmy talks about how his visa barriers pushed him to co-found an immigration law firm. Jimmy reflects on failing the bar exam three times before passing, navigating the financial and legal risks of starting a firm, and learning to think like a business owner rather than a lawyer. He also talks about doing all of this as a self-described introvert — someone who once avoided grocery store aisles to dodge small talk — and how he forced himself into networking and sales before eventually delegating those roles to more extroverted team members. Jimmy is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Learn more about Juno and private student loans Learn more about Juno and private student loans Haynes Boone LLP Learn more about Haynes Boone LLP

Deepan Patel explains his role at the IRS. While the IRS has many types of lawyers, he focuses on business taxpayer guidance, which ensures certainty for businesses making major decisions. He describes how he got into tax, where his career might go, and trade-offs between government and private practice. Deepan is a graduate of Florida State University College of Law. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Learn more about Juno and private student loans Haynes Boone LLP Learn more about Haynes Boone LLP Learn more about Juno and private student loans

Michelle Hanlon spent 25 years as a cross-border M&A lawyer before earning an LLM in space law and reinventing her practice around an environment that nobody quite controls but many want to. Space law is barely developed, but much of the daily work looks like any other industry: contracts, regulatory compliance, and drafting provisions that account for risks nobody else is thinking about yet. Michelle holds a permanent observer seat at the UN committee where international space law is written, and in this episode she breaks down the craft of persuading legislators and diplomats, why industries often write the standards Congress later codifies, and how deep subject-matter fluency reshapes even conventional legal work. Michelle Hanlon is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Juno and private student loans Access LawHub today! Learn more about Juno and private student loans Haynes Boone LLP Learn more about Haynes Boone LLP

Yuliya Flynn is a partner at a small business law firm where she acts as concierge legal counsel for small and mid-size companies — handling the kind and breadth of work an in-house lawyer would, but for multiple clients at once. In this episode, she walks through what that role looks like day to day, from drafting employment agreements and reviewing leases to fielding emergency calls about severance. Yuliya explains how she audits new clients for compliance gaps, why she treats compliance as preventative medicine, and how those gaps can tank a purchase when it's time to sell. She also digs into the complexity of structuring employee compensation and retention plans, where equity participation sounds simple but quickly intersects with succession planning and corporate governance. Yuliya Flynn is a graduate of Kostanay State University in Kazakhstan and also earned her Master of Laws from American University with a specialization in International Business and Trade Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Loyola Law School Learn more about Loyola Law School Learn more about Juno and private student loans Learn more about Juno and private student loans

Evan Banker didn't plan to become a ski lawyer, but a chance opportunity led him to a niche practice handling collisions on the slopes. He explains how skiing accidents become legal cases, from right-of-way rules and Colorado's Skier Safety Act to evidence like witness accounts, video footage, GPS tracking data, and damage patterns on the skis themselves. Evan discusses why injured skiers hesitate to pursue claims and how personal injury lawyers navigate the profession's stigma. He also talks about leveling the playing field against deep pockets with his firms contingency fee model. The conversation also offers a behind-the-scenes look at small firm life and succession planning. Evan is a graduate of the University of Denver College of Law. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Learn more about Juno and private student loans Learn more about Juno and private student loans Loyola Law School Learn more about Loyola Law School

Vineet Dubey is an environmental litigator in California who sues companies selling consumer products tainted with toxic chemicals. His primary legal vehicle is California's Proposition 65, a ballot-initiative statute requiring companies to either warn consumers about chemical exposure or remove offending products from shelves. In this episode, Vineet explains how cases come to him through environmental testing groups, how toxicologists help establish whether a violation exists, and why he pushes companies to reformulate products rather than simply slap on a warning label. He also walks through his case against Gerber over lead in baby food, the realities of contingency work against corporate giants, and what it takes to learn hard science as a political science major. Vineet Dubey is a graduate of UCLA Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Loyola Law School Learn more about Loyola Law School Learn more about Juno and private student loans Learn more about Juno and private student loans

Philip Selio, a solo practitioner, helps small businesses and entrepreneurs with their corporate law needs. He discusses managing all aspects of a solo shop -- and how it helps him better serve his clients who face similar challenges. Philip discusses client relationships, research processes, and social media as a tool to further build his client roster. He also shares how he thinks about his firm's potential growth. Philip is a 2019 graduate of California Western School of Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Loyola Law School Learn more about Loyola Law School Learn more about Juno and private student loans Learn more about Juno and private student loans

Devin Morse is a criminal defense attorney in Alaska, specializing in the state's most serious charges. In this episode, Devin explains the distinction between factual and legal guilt, her intensive intake process, and why she deliberately delays hearing a client's version of events. She also discusses what it means to review a "phone dump" — an entire digital life — and how that shapes the attorney-client relationship. After a decade as a public defender, Devin and two colleagues spent a year plotting the launch of their own firm. She walks through the realities of billing, compensation conversations, and what it feels like to know a family sold their home to fund the defense. Devin Morse is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Loyola Law School Learn more about Loyola Law School Access LawHub today!

Doron Gold spent roughly a decade practicing law before realizing the profession was slowly crushing him. In this episode, Doron shares the experiences that led him to leave law for good. Doron discusses his transition to therapy and his current practice helping lawyers navigate burnout, perfectionism, and career dissatisfaction. Drawing on his own experience, Doron highlights how perfectionism, external validation, and misaligned values can undermine personal and career satisfaction. He also reflects on professional boundaries he learned as a family lawyer — maintaining objectivity while caring deeply — and how those skills transferred to therapy. Doron is a graduate of the York University Osgoode Hall Law School (JD) and the University of Windsor (Master of Social Work). This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: BU Law Learn more about Boston University School of Law Learn more about Seton Hall Access LawHub today! Loyola Law School Learn more about Loyola Law School

What does it take to bring medical devices to the market? It’s a question lawyer Randy Prebula thinks about every day. Randy is a partner at a global law firm who specializes in the regulatory world of medical devices and technology. In this episode, he shares how he transitioned from a more than 20-year career as a scientist into the world of law and how that informs his legal work. He breaks down FDA’s emergency use authorization, what qualifies as a device versus a drug, how products navigate FDA approval pathways, and why risk-benefit analysis drives every FDA decision. He also reflects on what it was like working in this field during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to bring one of the first at home COVID-19 tests to market. Randy is a graduate of the Catholic University of America. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: BU Law Learn more about Boston University School of Law Learn more about Seton Hall Loyola Law School Learn more about Loyola Law School Access LawHub today!

Nathania Reyes litigates commercial disputes on behalf of financial services organizations like banks. Nathania recounts her journey from uncertain law student to finding her place in civil litigation. She describes her diverse experiences, including immigration and in-house internships, a judicial clerkship, and her transition to private practice. She emphasizes the importance of work-life balance at her current firm, how the Hispanic Bar Association has shaped her career to date, and how she's expanding her expertise in various commercial litigation areas. Nathania touches on networking and business development, highlighting the value of persistence in the face of rejection. Nathania is a 2017 graduate of Rutgers University School of Law. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: BU Law Learn more about Boston University School of Law Learn more about Seton Hall Loyola Law School Learn more about Loyola Law School Access LawHub today!

Artificial intelligence has arrived in the legal profession. In this special episode, Kyle and Katya examine AI's growing role in the world of law from criminal defense to M&A and much in between. Over the past few months, they've asked every guest a simple bonus question: How has AI affected your practice? The answers offer a window into a profession in transition—curious, conflicted, and actively determining AI's proper role in law. Practitioners share how AI streamlines document review and accelerates research, while candidly discussing serious limitations and risks. This highlights how lawyers are still learning to navigate the technology. Feature voices: Eric Bernheim, Episode 120, Behind the Lease: Supporting Restaurant Expansion Through Real Estate LawAlexis Taitel, Episode 121, From Clerkship to Private Practice: Research, Writing, and Challenging AssumptionsVenetia Mayhew, Episode 122, Second Chances: Rewriting Life Through ClemencyJoe Stephens, Episode 126, Trial by Algorithm: Helping Lawyers Navigate the AI RevolutionAsha Sharma, Episode 127, Administrative Hearings and Human Stories: Social Security Disability on the FrontlinesAudi Syarief, Episode 129, Trading in Gray Areas: How Sanctions Shape International BusinessRachel Frank, Episode 131, Understanding the Appeal: Supreme Litigation from First Draft to Oral ArgumentElise Bennett, Episode 133, Cool Little Dudes and Legal Battles: Environmental Protection from the Courtroom to the CommunityMolly Henry, Episode 137, Navigating International Waters: Arresting Ships and Managing Crises on the SeasMichael Kohagen, Episode 139, At the Center of the Transaction: Coordinating Business Deals from Start to Finish This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee and Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Seton Hall BU Law Learn more about Boston University School of Law Access LawHub today! Loyola Law School Learn more about Loyola Law School

Michael Kohagen structures mergers and acquisitions for clients across the deal spectrum, from family businesses selling for $5 million to headline-grabbing deals. He explains how smaller deals offer closer client relationships—often working directly with owners who lack M&A experience but know their business intimately. Michael walks through the deal process from confidentiality agreements and letters of intent through due diligence and purchase agreements, emphasizing his role coordinating specialists while drafting core transaction documents. He discusses how AI is beginning to change document review, why most M&A deals fail (time drag and initial misalignment), and how his central role creates both pressure and satisfaction. Michael is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Law. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Loyola Law School Learn more about Loyola Law School Access LawHub today! Learn more about Seton Hall BU Law Learn more about Boston University School of Law

Duncan Kemp, a state government lawyer, took an unconventional path to environmental law. After working in college athletics fundraising and earning an MFA in Creative Writing, he entered law school part-time with a clear goal: protecting natural resources. But landing that environmental job proved harder than expected. Today, he manages litigation for one of Louisiana's largest landowners—from boundary disputes and coastal erosion cases to pipeline enforcement and exotic animal seizures. Duncan discusses balancing conservation with hunting traditions and economic growth, and coordinating litigation across agencies. Plus, he talks about the satisfying trade-off between lower government pay and a better work-life balance. Duncan is a graduate of Southern University Law Center. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! BU Law Learn more about Boston University School of Law Learn more about Seton Hall Loyola Law School Learn more about Loyola Law School

Molly Henry represents international ship owners in a practice spanning oil spill response, vessel arrests, cargo disputes, and casualties at sea. She explains how admiralty law—a conglomeration of international treaties and federal common law—treats ships as legal persons that can be arrested and sold to satisfy judgments. Molly describes her crisis management role, boarding vessels to investigate crew deaths and fielding calls at all hours when maritime casualties occur. She reflects on transitioning from task-based associate work to strategic case management, and how an early opportunity to argue before the Ninth Circuit built her confidence. Molly is a graduate of the Ohio State Moritz College of Law. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Learn more about Seton Hall BU Law Learn more about Boston University School of Law Loyola Law School Learn more about Loyola Law School