Khurram's Quorum Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/khurrams-quorum Deep conversations with underrated lawyers. Copyright © Khurram Naik ebed6363-aeef-5643-b332-2e956615d634 yes en Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:19:55 -0400 Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:20:18 -0400 https://freshwatercounsel.com/ https://img.transistorcdn.com/zCSRsVnW9OyIzxJukN-0O27jzGbKtTYuqqStBMjdHow/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9iYWIz/ZDE4ZGNjNDAxNTlj/YTlkMTk1NDliN2Vh/NDc3MS5wbmc.jpg Khurram's Quorum https://freshwatercounsel.com/ episodic Khurram Naik Deep conversations with underrated lawyers. Deep conversations with underrated lawyers. law, legal, career, networking, strategy Khurram Naik khurram@freshwatercounsel.com No Yes 047 Tim Yoo: how to study elite performers to find an edge 46 46 047 Tim Yoo: how to study elite performers to find an edge full ba75083e-e423-4ce7-9e9d-95b75583f0c2 https://share.transistor.fm/s/4368f1af Timothy Yoo is a first-chair trial lawyer who treats litigation like sport. Tim models his preparation and execution based on principles elite performers use:

  • Prepare for physiology. Cortisol and adrenaline are part of the job; rehearsal is how you meet the moment.
  • Pre-commit decisions. Use decision trees in outlines so you avoid reactivity under pressure.
  • Credibility is “what + how.” Factfinders and clients read conviction, nuance, and authenticity through delivery.
  • Be a reliable narrator. Your job is to help factfinders see the other side and draw their own conclusions.
  • Treat adversarial as a feature. Opposing counsel is your foil/dance partner, then you shake hands at the net.
  • Bank reps. Variety across matters compounds into mastery for the next big stage.
]]> Timothy Yoo is a first-chair trial lawyer who treats litigation like sport. Tim models his preparation and execution based on principles elite performers use:

  • Prepare for physiology. Cortisol and adrenaline are part of the job; rehearsal is how you meet the moment.
  • Pre-commit decisions. Use decision trees in outlines so you avoid reactivity under pressure.
  • Credibility is “what + how.” Factfinders and clients read conviction, nuance, and authenticity through delivery.
  • Be a reliable narrator. Your job is to help factfinders see the other side and draw their own conclusions.
  • Treat adversarial as a feature. Opposing counsel is your foil/dance partner, then you shake hands at the net.
  • Bank reps. Variety across matters compounds into mastery for the next big stage.
]]> Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:42:11 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 4998 Timothy Yoo is a first-chair trial lawyer who treats litigation like sport. Tim models his preparation and execution based on principles elite performers use:

  • Prepare for physiology. Cortisol and adrenaline are part of the job; rehearsal is how you meet the moment.
  • Pre-commit decisions. Use decision trees in outlines so you avoid reactivity under pressure.
  • Credibility is “what + how.” Factfinders and clients read conviction, nuance, and authenticity through delivery.
  • Be a reliable narrator. Your job is to help factfinders see the other side and draw their own conclusions.
  • Treat adversarial as a feature. Opposing counsel is your foil/dance partner, then you shake hands at the net.
  • Bank reps. Variety across matters compounds into mastery for the next big stage.
]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 044: Patti Burris on going from teen mom to funds attorney, turning fear into focus, and designing a BigLaw career that feels like freedom 45 45 044: Patti Burris on going from teen mom to funds attorney, turning fear into focus, and designing a BigLaw career that feels like freedom full a687d3b5-c940-452a-92c7-726d5609a442 https://share.transistor.fm/s/357636b8 Patti Burris had two kids and an associate's degree when she started her path towards law school. Yet she made her way to the top of her class by building systems to succeed even when there wasn't a safety net. And she's reframing her biglaw path from a necessary drudge to an opportunity to build a rewarding life. 

Patti's law school story begins with walking into the wrong job interview, which led to a life-changing mentorship. She shares the principles she used to call her shot in law school and end up at the top of the class through relationships with peers and professors, systems for learning, and cycles of sprints and rest.  

Now, as a driven biglaw funds lawyers, Patti shares the formula she uses to ensure she's investing in herself every week. Patti also shares how she stacks goals (social, academic, professional) for exponential returns.

This episode is special because it's both incredibly inspirational and full of practical techniques to achieve more with limited time. Patti has challenged me to make the most out of my time to ensure I'm living in line with my values and ambitions. 

]]> Patti Burris had two kids and an associate's degree when she started her path towards law school. Yet she made her way to the top of her class by building systems to succeed even when there wasn't a safety net. And she's reframing her biglaw path from a necessary drudge to an opportunity to build a rewarding life. 

Patti's law school story begins with walking into the wrong job interview, which led to a life-changing mentorship. She shares the principles she used to call her shot in law school and end up at the top of the class through relationships with peers and professors, systems for learning, and cycles of sprints and rest.  

Now, as a driven biglaw funds lawyers, Patti shares the formula she uses to ensure she's investing in herself every week. Patti also shares how she stacks goals (social, academic, professional) for exponential returns.

This episode is special because it's both incredibly inspirational and full of practical techniques to achieve more with limited time. Patti has challenged me to make the most out of my time to ensure I'm living in line with my values and ambitions. 

]]> Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:46:33 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 4540 Patti Burris had two kids and an associate's degree when she started her path towards law school. Yet she made her way to the top of her class by building systems to succeed even when there wasn't a safety net. And she's reframing her biglaw path from a necessary drudge to an opportunity to build a rewarding life. 

Patti's law school story begins with walking into the wrong job interview, which led to a life-changing mentorship. She shares the principles she used to call her shot in law school and end up at the top of the class through relationships with peers and professors, systems for learning, and cycles of sprints and rest.  

Now, as a driven biglaw funds lawyers, Patti shares the formula she uses to ensure she's investing in herself every week. Patti also shares how she stacks goals (social, academic, professional) for exponential returns.

This episode is special because it's both incredibly inspirational and full of practical techniques to achieve more with limited time. Patti has challenged me to make the most out of my time to ensure I'm living in line with my values and ambitions. 

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 043: Priyanka Timblo on the strategy behind a $101 million verdict, being underestimated, and the benefits of being all-in 44 44 043: Priyanka Timblo on the strategy behind a $101 million verdict, being underestimated, and the benefits of being all-in full 51b2cfc9-8915-44e9-a09f-9db4ef98c1f4 https://share.transistor.fm/s/521532e9 Priyanka Timblo left the comfort of Paul Weiss to join a five-year-old litigation boutique, betting on a place where she could practice the skill she knew she was best at: being on her feet in court. That calculated risk paid off spectacularly, culminating in a $101 million jury verdict against Walmart in Arkansas, one of the largest verdicts in the state's history.

Her path wasn't conventional. A Canadian law school graduate who was told by recruiters to pursue business development instead of litigation, Priyanka has built her career on being underestimated and using it as fuel. Priyanka lays out how starting as an associate, she leveraged being underestimated to prevail in overlooked opportunities. We also explore the anti-optionality path in law — the competitive advantage in getting good at one thing and sticking with it. 

Priyanka talks about what it takes to continue down this path: the sacrifices in her personal life and the challenging and rewarding inner-game of skill mastery. 

]]> Priyanka Timblo left the comfort of Paul Weiss to join a five-year-old litigation boutique, betting on a place where she could practice the skill she knew she was best at: being on her feet in court. That calculated risk paid off spectacularly, culminating in a $101 million jury verdict against Walmart in Arkansas, one of the largest verdicts in the state's history.

Her path wasn't conventional. A Canadian law school graduate who was told by recruiters to pursue business development instead of litigation, Priyanka has built her career on being underestimated and using it as fuel. Priyanka lays out how starting as an associate, she leveraged being underestimated to prevail in overlooked opportunities. We also explore the anti-optionality path in law — the competitive advantage in getting good at one thing and sticking with it. 

Priyanka talks about what it takes to continue down this path: the sacrifices in her personal life and the challenging and rewarding inner-game of skill mastery. 

]]> Tue, 14 Oct 2025 15:45:50 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 5217 Priyanka Timblo left the comfort of Paul Weiss to join a five-year-old litigation boutique, betting on a place where she could practice the skill she knew she was best at: being on her feet in court. That calculated risk paid off spectacularly, culminating in a $101 million jury verdict against Walmart in Arkansas, one of the largest verdicts in the state's history.

Her path wasn't conventional. A Canadian law school graduate who was told by recruiters to pursue business development instead of litigation, Priyanka has built her career on being underestimated and using it as fuel. Priyanka lays out how starting as an associate, she leveraged being underestimated to prevail in overlooked opportunities. We also explore the anti-optionality path in law — the competitive advantage in getting good at one thing and sticking with it. 

Priyanka talks about what it takes to continue down this path: the sacrifices in her personal life and the challenging and rewarding inner-game of skill mastery. 

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 042: Judge Vince Chhabria on case management as justice, his unexpected path to the bench from a city attorney's office, and why choosing fulfilling work is the best career path 43 43 042: Judge Vince Chhabria on case management as justice, his unexpected path to the bench from a city attorney's office, and why choosing fulfilling work is the best career path full c59eae01-51d5-4b25-9311-7d47d849edfe https://share.transistor.fm/s/44a0dd60 Judge Vince Chhabria is a district court judge in the Northern District of California. When I shared with previous podcast guests I was interviewing Judge Chhabria, the excitement was palpable - these experienced litigators think of Judge Chhabria as "insightful", "focused", and "sharp", and this is a rare opportunity to learn how an influential judge thinks.

Judge Chhabria and I talked about:
- his unexpected path from the office of the San Francisco City Attorney's Office to the bench, any why city attorney roles are so valuable. 
- the surprising impact of case management on justice, and how few motions are decided by precedent
- what keeps the job interesting 11 years into the role
- why moving cases forward is an underrated part of public service
- the "memdispo" technique that efficiently allocates judicial resources to opinions 
- what he misses most about not being a federal judge
- his most important career advice for his clerks

We also discuss how he researched and considered precedent for the recent Kadrey v. Meta decision on fair use in generative AI. 

Any lawyer looking for an original approach to career decisions and how they practice should listen to this episode. 

]]> Judge Vince Chhabria is a district court judge in the Northern District of California. When I shared with previous podcast guests I was interviewing Judge Chhabria, the excitement was palpable - these experienced litigators think of Judge Chhabria as "insightful", "focused", and "sharp", and this is a rare opportunity to learn how an influential judge thinks.

Judge Chhabria and I talked about:
- his unexpected path from the office of the San Francisco City Attorney's Office to the bench, any why city attorney roles are so valuable. 
- the surprising impact of case management on justice, and how few motions are decided by precedent
- what keeps the job interesting 11 years into the role
- why moving cases forward is an underrated part of public service
- the "memdispo" technique that efficiently allocates judicial resources to opinions 
- what he misses most about not being a federal judge
- his most important career advice for his clerks

We also discuss how he researched and considered precedent for the recent Kadrey v. Meta decision on fair use in generative AI. 

Any lawyer looking for an original approach to career decisions and how they practice should listen to this episode. 

]]> Fri, 29 Aug 2025 10:12:49 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 2628 Judge Vince Chhabria is a district court judge in the Northern District of California. When I shared with previous podcast guests I was interviewing Judge Chhabria, the excitement was palpable - these experienced litigators think of Judge Chhabria as "insightful", "focused", and "sharp", and this is a rare opportunity to learn how an influential judge thinks.

Judge Chhabria and I talked about:
- his unexpected path from the office of the San Francisco City Attorney's Office to the bench, any why city attorney roles are so valuable. 
- the surprising impact of case management on justice, and how few motions are decided by precedent
- what keeps the job interesting 11 years into the role
- why moving cases forward is an underrated part of public service
- the "memdispo" technique that efficiently allocates judicial resources to opinions 
- what he misses most about not being a federal judge
- his most important career advice for his clerks

We also discuss how he researched and considered precedent for the recent Kadrey v. Meta decision on fair use in generative AI. 

Any lawyer looking for an original approach to career decisions and how they practice should listen to this episode. 

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 041: Rakesh Kilaru on decision-making tools honed at the White House, trial strategy through subtraction, and what it takes to build a high-stakes trial boutique 41 41 041: Rakesh Kilaru on decision-making tools honed at the White House, trial strategy through subtraction, and what it takes to build a high-stakes trial boutique full fc4012e0-ce85-4e78-a66f-1dffc08b6e0b https://share.transistor.fm/s/eb20e211 Rakesh Kilaru is a partner at Wilkinson Stekloff. In a few years, Rakesh has resolved headline-making disputes, including defeating a $21 billion challenge to the NFL’s media model, defeating the FTC’s challenge to Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and negotiating an innovative settlement over the NCAA’s compensation rules. 


And he's barely over 40. 


I reached out to Rakesh to learn more about his practice, and the conversation  flowed. For someone of his accomplishments, Rakesh is remarkably humble. He's driven by excellence and impact. We could easily have recorded a much longer episode. 


In this episode we discuss these frame-shifting principles:


- Practice making decisions under uncertainty. From his time at the White House, Rakesh learned to map the real stakeholders, build trust as an honest broker, and make sure everyone who needs a say is actually in the loop before deciding

- Choose environments that improve decisions. A fixed-fee model  removes distortions, encourages collaboration, and lets teams right-size effort to outcomes.

- Focus. Work out from first-principles what is helpful to a jury or judge, and continually ask what are the 1-3 issues that matter. 

- Challenge assumptions. Don't rely on conventions from the practice area, but identify your own solutions. 

- Develop a generalist mindset. You can settle cases, you can try them. You can take principles learned in products liability to antitrust cases and beyond. 

]]> Rakesh Kilaru is a partner at Wilkinson Stekloff. In a few years, Rakesh has resolved headline-making disputes, including defeating a $21 billion challenge to the NFL’s media model, defeating the FTC’s challenge to Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and negotiating an innovative settlement over the NCAA’s compensation rules. 


And he's barely over 40. 


I reached out to Rakesh to learn more about his practice, and the conversation  flowed. For someone of his accomplishments, Rakesh is remarkably humble. He's driven by excellence and impact. We could easily have recorded a much longer episode. 


In this episode we discuss these frame-shifting principles:


- Practice making decisions under uncertainty. From his time at the White House, Rakesh learned to map the real stakeholders, build trust as an honest broker, and make sure everyone who needs a say is actually in the loop before deciding

- Choose environments that improve decisions. A fixed-fee model  removes distortions, encourages collaboration, and lets teams right-size effort to outcomes.

- Focus. Work out from first-principles what is helpful to a jury or judge, and continually ask what are the 1-3 issues that matter. 

- Challenge assumptions. Don't rely on conventions from the practice area, but identify your own solutions. 

- Develop a generalist mindset. You can settle cases, you can try them. You can take principles learned in products liability to antitrust cases and beyond. 

]]> Sun, 17 Aug 2025 22:07:22 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 5822 Rakesh Kilaru is a partner at Wilkinson Stekloff. In a few years, Rakesh has resolved headline-making disputes, including defeating a $21 billion challenge to the NFL’s media model, defeating the FTC’s challenge to Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and negotiating an innovative settlement over the NCAA’s compensation rules. 


And he's barely over 40. 


I reached out to Rakesh to learn more about his practice, and the conversation  flowed. For someone of his accomplishments, Rakesh is remarkably humble. He's driven by excellence and impact. We could easily have recorded a much longer episode. 


In this episode we discuss these frame-shifting principles:


- Practice making decisions under uncertainty. From his time at the White House, Rakesh learned to map the real stakeholders, build trust as an honest broker, and make sure everyone who needs a say is actually in the loop before deciding

- Choose environments that improve decisions. A fixed-fee model  removes distortions, encourages collaboration, and lets teams right-size effort to outcomes.

- Focus. Work out from first-principles what is helpful to a jury or judge, and continually ask what are the 1-3 issues that matter. 

- Challenge assumptions. Don't rely on conventions from the practice area, but identify your own solutions. 

- Develop a generalist mindset. You can settle cases, you can try them. You can take principles learned in products liability to antitrust cases and beyond. 

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 040: Dai Wai Chin Feman on optionality as a career system, business development force multipliers, and the career benefits of shaping litigation funding policy 40 40 040: Dai Wai Chin Feman on optionality as a career system, business development force multipliers, and the career benefits of shaping litigation funding policy full d68dbc62-7ddc-4b05-8a4f-118375c652be https://share.transistor.fm/s/ba9159ae Dai Wei Chin Feman is Managing Director and Corporate Counsel at Parabellum Capital, a litigation funder. This conversation gets practical in breaking down the system Dai Wai has built for career success: a diversified portfolio of relationships, skills, and value-creation mechanisms. 

Business development creates differentiation when technical skills are commoditized. 
Optionality multiplies this by developing multiple career paths simultaneously. 
Affinity networks become firm-wide value platforms, not just personal networking.

Deliberate generosity treats relationships like portfolio diversification - invest broadly since you can't predict which connections matter. 
Policy expertise becomes a defensive moat in niche industries.

Progress from "say yes" to strategic "no" to protect your systems while preserving ability to seize high-value opportunities.

Daily habits (20-minute social support + real-time alerts) create information arbitrage at scale.

Raw talent isn't sufficient. These strategies build transferable assets that maintain value across market conditions.


]]> Dai Wei Chin Feman is Managing Director and Corporate Counsel at Parabellum Capital, a litigation funder. This conversation gets practical in breaking down the system Dai Wai has built for career success: a diversified portfolio of relationships, skills, and value-creation mechanisms. 

Business development creates differentiation when technical skills are commoditized. 
Optionality multiplies this by developing multiple career paths simultaneously. 
Affinity networks become firm-wide value platforms, not just personal networking.

Deliberate generosity treats relationships like portfolio diversification - invest broadly since you can't predict which connections matter. 
Policy expertise becomes a defensive moat in niche industries.

Progress from "say yes" to strategic "no" to protect your systems while preserving ability to seize high-value opportunities.

Daily habits (20-minute social support + real-time alerts) create information arbitrage at scale.

Raw talent isn't sufficient. These strategies build transferable assets that maintain value across market conditions.


]]> Sun, 17 Aug 2025 21:30:26 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 4450 Dai Wei Chin Feman is Managing Director and Corporate Counsel at Parabellum Capital, a litigation funder. This conversation gets practical in breaking down the system Dai Wai has built for career success: a diversified portfolio of relationships, skills, and value-creation mechanisms. 

Business development creates differentiation when technical skills are commoditized. 
Optionality multiplies this by developing multiple career paths simultaneously. 
Affinity networks become firm-wide value platforms, not just personal networking.

Deliberate generosity treats relationships like portfolio diversification - invest broadly since you can't predict which connections matter. 
Policy expertise becomes a defensive moat in niche industries.

Progress from "say yes" to strategic "no" to protect your systems while preserving ability to seize high-value opportunities.

Daily habits (20-minute social support + real-time alerts) create information arbitrage at scale.

Raw talent isn't sufficient. These strategies build transferable assets that maintain value across market conditions.


]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 039: Ambika Kumar on defending free speech, building a tech-speech practice from Seattle, and litigating the TikTok ban 39 39 039: Ambika Kumar on defending free speech, building a tech-speech practice from Seattle, and litigating the TikTok ban full d5cb8404-8192-41f4-a7e7-d9e17d7e0e98 https://share.transistor.fm/s/9eaf5fa1 When tech platforms face “bet-the-company” speech fights, they call Ambika Kumar. We dig into how Ambika built a First Amendment practice from Seattle, argued a 7:30 a.m. TRO that blocked the first TikTok ban, and balances high-stakes litigation with raising two kids.


Ambika explains why eagerness is an asymmetric bet, how concise emails and phone calls keep clients calm, and what Section 230’s future means for AI. She also opens up about career inflection points, from early mentor hacks to leading headline-grabbing cases.

]]> When tech platforms face “bet-the-company” speech fights, they call Ambika Kumar. We dig into how Ambika built a First Amendment practice from Seattle, argued a 7:30 a.m. TRO that blocked the first TikTok ban, and balances high-stakes litigation with raising two kids.


Ambika explains why eagerness is an asymmetric bet, how concise emails and phone calls keep clients calm, and what Section 230’s future means for AI. She also opens up about career inflection points, from early mentor hacks to leading headline-grabbing cases.

]]> Thu, 26 Jun 2025 20:49:45 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 5261 When tech platforms face “bet-the-company” speech fights, they call Ambika Kumar. We dig into how Ambika built a First Amendment practice from Seattle, argued a 7:30 a.m. TRO that blocked the first TikTok ban, and balances high-stakes litigation with raising two kids.


Ambika explains why eagerness is an asymmetric bet, how concise emails and phone calls keep clients calm, and what Section 230’s future means for AI. She also opens up about career inflection points, from early mentor hacks to leading headline-grabbing cases.

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 038: Manisha Sheth on leaving partnership for government, betting on yourself, and the call of mountaineering 38 38 038: Manisha Sheth on leaving partnership for government, betting on yourself, and the call of mountaineering full e1e4be17-06a1-41fb-9618-5102a8b28cda https://share.transistor.fm/s/9d5a49c1 Quinn Emanuel partner Manisha Sheth has moved twice between elite private practice and high-stakes public enforcement. In this wide-ranging conversation we discuss:

  • how to bet on yourself to cultivate new skills
  • how she ran 250 lawyers at the N.Y. Attorney General’s office and sped up investigations with two simple process tweaks
  • the hottest state-level enforcement trends in climate, consumer finance, and AI
  • dangling from an ice face at 19,000 ft

Listen for practical insights on career strategy, process and delegation as competitive advantages, and a couple mountaineering stories that will make your palms sweat.

]]> Quinn Emanuel partner Manisha Sheth has moved twice between elite private practice and high-stakes public enforcement. In this wide-ranging conversation we discuss:

  • how to bet on yourself to cultivate new skills
  • how she ran 250 lawyers at the N.Y. Attorney General’s office and sped up investigations with two simple process tweaks
  • the hottest state-level enforcement trends in climate, consumer finance, and AI
  • dangling from an ice face at 19,000 ft

Listen for practical insights on career strategy, process and delegation as competitive advantages, and a couple mountaineering stories that will make your palms sweat.

]]> Fri, 30 May 2025 09:40:17 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 6324 Quinn Emanuel partner Manisha Sheth has moved twice between elite private practice and high-stakes public enforcement. In this wide-ranging conversation we discuss:

  • how to bet on yourself to cultivate new skills
  • how she ran 250 lawyers at the N.Y. Attorney General’s office and sped up investigations with two simple process tweaks
  • the hottest state-level enforcement trends in climate, consumer finance, and AI
  • dangling from an ice face at 19,000 ft

Listen for practical insights on career strategy, process and delegation as competitive advantages, and a couple mountaineering stories that will make your palms sweat.

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 037: Sunny Kim on quitting biglaw, publicly owning your narrative, and practical LinkedIn tips you can implement in 20 minutes 37 37 037: Sunny Kim on quitting biglaw, publicly owning your narrative, and practical LinkedIn tips you can implement in 20 minutes full 88ce4f9c-ccd8-465d-872c-544f86282c7e https://share.transistor.fm/s/078cb455 Want a 20-minute bootcamp for your LinkedIn presence? Episode 037 for Khurram's Quorum is a little different. My guest is Sunny Kim, who went from biglaw to make a big reset for her career helping lawyers find their voice in social media. 

We cover how Sunny tinkered her way into discovering some of the best ways for lawyers to share their stories to build trust and authority with peers and clients, and get into brass tacks about how to position yourself on LinkedIn through your profile and posts. 

At the end of this 50 minute episode, you'll understand why you should bother sharing your ideas on LinkedIn, and have an easy playbook for getting started. 

]]> Want a 20-minute bootcamp for your LinkedIn presence? Episode 037 for Khurram's Quorum is a little different. My guest is Sunny Kim, who went from biglaw to make a big reset for her career helping lawyers find their voice in social media. 

We cover how Sunny tinkered her way into discovering some of the best ways for lawyers to share their stories to build trust and authority with peers and clients, and get into brass tacks about how to position yourself on LinkedIn through your profile and posts. 

At the end of this 50 minute episode, you'll understand why you should bother sharing your ideas on LinkedIn, and have an easy playbook for getting started. 

]]> Fri, 16 May 2025 10:12:20 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 3034 Want a 20-minute bootcamp for your LinkedIn presence? Episode 037 for Khurram's Quorum is a little different. My guest is Sunny Kim, who went from biglaw to make a big reset for her career helping lawyers find their voice in social media. 

We cover how Sunny tinkered her way into discovering some of the best ways for lawyers to share their stories to build trust and authority with peers and clients, and get into brass tacks about how to position yourself on LinkedIn through your profile and posts. 

At the end of this 50 minute episode, you'll understand why you should bother sharing your ideas on LinkedIn, and have an easy playbook for getting started. 

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 036: Randy Gaw on case selection, niching, and storytelling for law firm founders 36 36 036: Randy Gaw on case selection, niching, and storytelling for law firm founders full d67bbdd4-368f-420f-8935-9539cf2f1388 https://share.transistor.fm/s/a52a9748 Randy Gaw is the co-founder of Gaw Poe LLP. Randy left biglaw for a more direct path to first-chair trial work and strategic autonomy. At his boutique, Randy focuses on complex business litigation and high-value contingency work. We discuss:

  • why case selection is about narrative, not just legal theory
  • how poker and parenting made him a better litigator
  • what he learned from jury consultants that changed how he prepares for trial
]]> Randy Gaw is the co-founder of Gaw Poe LLP. Randy left biglaw for a more direct path to first-chair trial work and strategic autonomy. At his boutique, Randy focuses on complex business litigation and high-value contingency work. We discuss:

  • why case selection is about narrative, not just legal theory
  • how poker and parenting made him a better litigator
  • what he learned from jury consultants that changed how he prepares for trial
]]> Fri, 09 May 2025 09:22:26 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 5129 Randy Gaw is the co-founder of Gaw Poe LLP. Randy left biglaw for a more direct path to first-chair trial work and strategic autonomy. At his boutique, Randy focuses on complex business litigation and high-value contingency work. We discuss:

  • why case selection is about narrative, not just legal theory
  • how poker and parenting made him a better litigator
  • what he learned from jury consultants that changed how he prepares for trial
]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 035: Hilary Gerzhoy on emotional drivers of ethical decisions, hidden risks in legal practice, and what makes a great ethical lawyer. 35 35 035: Hilary Gerzhoy on emotional drivers of ethical decisions, hidden risks in legal practice, and what makes a great ethical lawyer. full 4b964e57-1d91-4059-ad19-0ac0b83b6add https://share.transistor.fm/s/d4f4c4d2 As a partner at HWG, Hilary Gerzhoy advises law firms, partners, and GCs on the messiest, most human decisions lawyers make. In this episode, Hilary and I talk about why most ethics violations are rooted in fear, not greed, what really motivates risky behavior during lateral moves, and why great lawyers lead with empathy - and still set boundaries.

]]> As a partner at HWG, Hilary Gerzhoy advises law firms, partners, and GCs on the messiest, most human decisions lawyers make. In this episode, Hilary and I talk about why most ethics violations are rooted in fear, not greed, what really motivates risky behavior during lateral moves, and why great lawyers lead with empathy - and still set boundaries.

]]> Fri, 02 May 2025 10:10:39 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 5410 As a partner at HWG, Hilary Gerzhoy advises law firms, partners, and GCs on the messiest, most human decisions lawyers make. In this episode, Hilary and I talk about why most ethics violations are rooted in fear, not greed, what really motivates risky behavior during lateral moves, and why great lawyers lead with empathy - and still set boundaries.

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 034: Jaimie Nawaday on disrupting drinking, storytelling, and entrepreneurship for practicing lawyers 34 34 034: Jaimie Nawaday on disrupting drinking, storytelling, and entrepreneurship for practicing lawyers full ccf6399f-387b-411b-9b48-68a6338c5035 https://share.transistor.fm/s/5d897094 Jamie Nawaday is Head of Seward & Kissel's Government Enforcement and Internal Investigations Practice and the founder of Disrupting Drinking, where she speaks on personal change and cultural change to disrupt the corporate cocktail culture. Jamie has the unique insight that drinking isn't just about wellness - it reflects how the legal profession handles stress, bonding, and belonging. We explore how storytelling and authenticity are not side skill, they’re core to both legal persuasion and personal transformation. That change doesn't have to come from quitting your job and going all in - you can start a courageous conversation from within. 

]]> Jamie Nawaday is Head of Seward & Kissel's Government Enforcement and Internal Investigations Practice and the founder of Disrupting Drinking, where she speaks on personal change and cultural change to disrupt the corporate cocktail culture. Jamie has the unique insight that drinking isn't just about wellness - it reflects how the legal profession handles stress, bonding, and belonging. We explore how storytelling and authenticity are not side skill, they’re core to both legal persuasion and personal transformation. That change doesn't have to come from quitting your job and going all in - you can start a courageous conversation from within. 

]]> Fri, 25 Apr 2025 09:51:47 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 4422 Jamie Nawaday is Head of Seward & Kissel's Government Enforcement and Internal Investigations Practice and the founder of Disrupting Drinking, where she speaks on personal change and cultural change to disrupt the corporate cocktail culture. Jamie has the unique insight that drinking isn't just about wellness - it reflects how the legal profession handles stress, bonding, and belonging. We explore how storytelling and authenticity are not side skill, they’re core to both legal persuasion and personal transformation. That change doesn't have to come from quitting your job and going all in - you can start a courageous conversation from within. 

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 033: Vishal Shah on moving to the other side of the v. as a plaintiffs employment lawyer, case selection and strategy, and the business of a law firm 33 33 033: Vishal Shah on moving to the other side of the v. as a plaintiffs employment lawyer, case selection and strategy, and the business of a law firm full 2162da69-ef08-44d2-9229-e17fde32eada https://share.transistor.fm/s/d1d07499 Vishal Shah is the founder of Shah Litigation, a high-stake employment litigation firm. This is a unique opportunity to examine the strategy and values a biglaw associate used to launch and grow a successful law firm. We talk about the decision to switch to the other side of the v., how he researched the opportunity to identify his niche, his approach to a national trial practice, the unique dynamics of the plaintiffs' bar, and business development strategy.

  • (01:30) - from small-town Alabama to big-city biglaw
  • (15:35) - how personal tragedies and a desire for control over Vishal's career motivated his move to launch his own firm
  • (19:05) - key insights from successful law firm founders
  • (21:31) - how Vishal leverages his network, LinkedIn, and relationship-building for client development
  • (33:21) - case selection philosophy
  • (38:46) - litigation approach and pre-trial blueprint
  • (01:04:49) - the impact of the unique collegiality of the plaintiff's bar
  • (01:19:39) - advice for rising biglaw associates
]]> Vishal Shah is the founder of Shah Litigation, a high-stake employment litigation firm. This is a unique opportunity to examine the strategy and values a biglaw associate used to launch and grow a successful law firm. We talk about the decision to switch to the other side of the v., how he researched the opportunity to identify his niche, his approach to a national trial practice, the unique dynamics of the plaintiffs' bar, and business development strategy.

  • (01:30) - from small-town Alabama to big-city biglaw
  • (15:35) - how personal tragedies and a desire for control over Vishal's career motivated his move to launch his own firm
  • (19:05) - key insights from successful law firm founders
  • (21:31) - how Vishal leverages his network, LinkedIn, and relationship-building for client development
  • (33:21) - case selection philosophy
  • (38:46) - litigation approach and pre-trial blueprint
  • (01:04:49) - the impact of the unique collegiality of the plaintiff's bar
  • (01:19:39) - advice for rising biglaw associates
]]> Fri, 24 Jan 2025 12:01:04 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 5257 Vishal Shah is the founder of Shah Litigation, a high-stake employment litigation firm. This is a unique opportunity to examine the strategy and values a biglaw associate used to launch and grow a successful law firm. We talk about the decision to switch to the other side of the v., how he researched the opportunity to identify his niche, his approach to a national trial practice, the unique dynamics of the plaintiffs' bar, and business development strategy.

  • (01:30) - from small-town Alabama to big-city biglaw
  • (15:35) - how personal tragedies and a desire for control over Vishal's career motivated his move to launch his own firm
  • (19:05) - key insights from successful law firm founders
  • (21:31) - how Vishal leverages his network, LinkedIn, and relationship-building for client development
  • (33:21) - case selection philosophy
  • (38:46) - litigation approach and pre-trial blueprint
  • (01:04:49) - the impact of the unique collegiality of the plaintiff's bar
  • (01:19:39) - advice for rising biglaw associates
]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 032: Pratik Shah on the market for appellate litigation, the power of networks, and how to choose a practice group for growth 32 32 032: Pratik Shah on the market for appellate litigation, the power of networks, and how to choose a practice group for growth full 4c0ab6fe-3553-42ff-8679-161958157ee4 https://share.transistor.fm/s/5fba514a Pratik Shah is the Practice Head of Akin’s Supreme Court and appellate practice. Pratik breaks down his achievements and shares the values and principles he used to challenge himself and create opportunities. This conversation explores three underdiscussed topics, the market for appellate litigation, the business of appellate litigation, and the seismic shift in appellate practice in the past couple decades. We also explore  how to make decisions about the kind of practice to join and build. 

]]> Pratik Shah is the Practice Head of Akin’s Supreme Court and appellate practice. Pratik breaks down his achievements and shares the values and principles he used to challenge himself and create opportunities. This conversation explores three underdiscussed topics, the market for appellate litigation, the business of appellate litigation, and the seismic shift in appellate practice in the past couple decades. We also explore  how to make decisions about the kind of practice to join and build. 

]]> Thu, 16 Jan 2025 10:25:58 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 6587 Pratik Shah is the Practice Head of Akin’s Supreme Court and appellate practice. Pratik breaks down his achievements and shares the values and principles he used to challenge himself and create opportunities. This conversation explores three underdiscussed topics, the market for appellate litigation, the business of appellate litigation, and the seismic shift in appellate practice in the past couple decades. We also explore  how to make decisions about the kind of practice to join and build. 

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 031: Tim Yoo on what lawyers can learn from pro-wrestling, applied mathematics, and tennis 31 31 031: Tim Yoo on what lawyers can learn from pro-wrestling, applied mathematics, and tennis full 07aae7f7-1b49-4184-8b41-0d0609aafe84 https://share.transistor.fm/s/89f65a21 Tim Yoo is a partner at Bird Marella and probably one of the few lawyers who can reference both the second fundamental theorem of calculus and The Undertaker. This free-ranging conversation explores how lawyers can use basic concepts from applied mathematics for decision principles and strategy. We also cover what lawyers can learn about storytelling and character development from professional wrestling. 

]]> Tim Yoo is a partner at Bird Marella and probably one of the few lawyers who can reference both the second fundamental theorem of calculus and The Undertaker. This free-ranging conversation explores how lawyers can use basic concepts from applied mathematics for decision principles and strategy. We also cover what lawyers can learn about storytelling and character development from professional wrestling. 

]]> Thu, 09 Jan 2025 20:42:00 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 6043 Tim Yoo is a partner at Bird Marella and probably one of the few lawyers who can reference both the second fundamental theorem of calculus and The Undertaker. This free-ranging conversation explores how lawyers can use basic concepts from applied mathematics for decision principles and strategy. We also cover what lawyers can learn about storytelling and character development from professional wrestling. 

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 030: Lora Krsulich on fear as fuel as a first-gen lawyer, approaching work with high-trust, and tuning into your strengths 30 30 030: Lora Krsulich on fear as fuel as a first-gen lawyer, approaching work with high-trust, and tuning into your strengths full 96a71ec5-66f3-42a9-b11a-07ac723aaf33 https://share.transistor.fm/s/abf760a5 Lora Krsulich is an associate at Goodwin and a rising star. After clerking in the Central District of California and the Ninth Circuit, Lora litigated at Susman Godfrey before joining Goodwin. She shares her story of finding her voice and confidence in law as a first-gen lawyer, and the values she's followed as she's pursued success and excellence. 

  • (00:58) - - “Covered in Masking Tape”: Lora's father’s pride in his work and how it influenced her.
  • (08:01) - - “Fear as Fuel”: Facing debt and fear in her first year of law school, then finding her footing with other first-gen lawyers
  • (12:32) - - Clerkships: the transformative experience of clerking for two federal judges.
  • (22:06) - - Role of Advocacy: Always advocating subtly, even in procedural moments.
  • (38:16) - - Parenting and Litigation: How becoming a mom reshaped her work habits and time management.
  • (49:46) - - Lora reflects on how her experience of being "swindled" as a first-generation student seeking financial aid information led her to be more open to asking for help and building trust-based relationships.
  • (01:07:18) - - “Knowing When a Witness Needs a Bathroom Break”: How her deposition skills reflect her ability to connect.
  • (01:09:11) - - “I Wanted to Be Trusted”: Laura’s early courtroom experiences at Susman Godfrey.
  • (01:18:06) - - Transition to Goodwin: Why she joined Goodwin and her focus on IP litigation.
  • (01:25:00) - - “Inverting Weakness into Strength”: Turning her non-technical background into an asset in IP cases.
  • (01:26:47) - - Being Strategic and Ambitious: Embracing those traits to focus her career path.
]]> Lora Krsulich is an associate at Goodwin and a rising star. After clerking in the Central District of California and the Ninth Circuit, Lora litigated at Susman Godfrey before joining Goodwin. She shares her story of finding her voice and confidence in law as a first-gen lawyer, and the values she's followed as she's pursued success and excellence. 

  • (00:58) - - “Covered in Masking Tape”: Lora's father’s pride in his work and how it influenced her.
  • (08:01) - - “Fear as Fuel”: Facing debt and fear in her first year of law school, then finding her footing with other first-gen lawyers
  • (12:32) - - Clerkships: the transformative experience of clerking for two federal judges.
  • (22:06) - - Role of Advocacy: Always advocating subtly, even in procedural moments.
  • (38:16) - - Parenting and Litigation: How becoming a mom reshaped her work habits and time management.
  • (49:46) - - Lora reflects on how her experience of being "swindled" as a first-generation student seeking financial aid information led her to be more open to asking for help and building trust-based relationships.
  • (01:07:18) - - “Knowing When a Witness Needs a Bathroom Break”: How her deposition skills reflect her ability to connect.
  • (01:09:11) - - “I Wanted to Be Trusted”: Laura’s early courtroom experiences at Susman Godfrey.
  • (01:18:06) - - Transition to Goodwin: Why she joined Goodwin and her focus on IP litigation.
  • (01:25:00) - - “Inverting Weakness into Strength”: Turning her non-technical background into an asset in IP cases.
  • (01:26:47) - - Being Strategic and Ambitious: Embracing those traits to focus her career path.
]]> Thu, 19 Dec 2024 20:38:20 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 5472 Lora Krsulich is an associate at Goodwin and a rising star. After clerking in the Central District of California and the Ninth Circuit, Lora litigated at Susman Godfrey before joining Goodwin. She shares her story of finding her voice and confidence in law as a first-gen lawyer, and the values she's followed as she's pursued success and excellence. 

  • (00:58) - - “Covered in Masking Tape”: Lora's father’s pride in his work and how it influenced her.
  • (08:01) - - “Fear as Fuel”: Facing debt and fear in her first year of law school, then finding her footing with other first-gen lawyers
  • (12:32) - - Clerkships: the transformative experience of clerking for two federal judges.
  • (22:06) - - Role of Advocacy: Always advocating subtly, even in procedural moments.
  • (38:16) - - Parenting and Litigation: How becoming a mom reshaped her work habits and time management.
  • (49:46) - - Lora reflects on how her experience of being "swindled" as a first-generation student seeking financial aid information led her to be more open to asking for help and building trust-based relationships.
  • (01:07:18) - - “Knowing When a Witness Needs a Bathroom Break”: How her deposition skills reflect her ability to connect.
  • (01:09:11) - - “I Wanted to Be Trusted”: Laura’s early courtroom experiences at Susman Godfrey.
  • (01:18:06) - - Transition to Goodwin: Why she joined Goodwin and her focus on IP litigation.
  • (01:25:00) - - “Inverting Weakness into Strength”: Turning her non-technical background into an asset in IP cases.
  • (01:26:47) - - Being Strategic and Ambitious: Embracing those traits to focus her career path.
]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 029: Sonal Mehta on making decisions in the face of uncertainty, evaluating opportunity costs, and listening to your gut 29 29 029: Sonal Mehta on making decisions in the face of uncertainty, evaluating opportunity costs, and listening to your gut full 55e9a29a-a0e2-49fc-8ea2-28ecb7f17247 https://share.transistor.fm/s/588bb0f2 This episode with Sonal Mehta is a masterclass on decision-making. We explore her early rise to partner and the path that led her to the management committee at WilmerHale by walking through the tradeoffs and opportunities she identified at each step. We also explore the role intuition plays in legal analysis. And we discuss Sonal's journey through challenging parts of her practice and what's led to her success. Sonal is remarkably down-to-earth for her accomplishments, so this was a fun interview. 

]]> This episode with Sonal Mehta is a masterclass on decision-making. We explore her early rise to partner and the path that led her to the management committee at WilmerHale by walking through the tradeoffs and opportunities she identified at each step. We also explore the role intuition plays in legal analysis. And we discuss Sonal's journey through challenging parts of her practice and what's led to her success. Sonal is remarkably down-to-earth for her accomplishments, so this was a fun interview. 

]]> Fri, 19 Jul 2024 09:38:02 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 5495 This episode with Sonal Mehta is a masterclass on decision-making. We explore her early rise to partner and the path that led her to the management committee at WilmerHale by walking through the tradeoffs and opportunities she identified at each step. We also explore the role intuition plays in legal analysis. And we discuss Sonal's journey through challenging parts of her practice and what's led to her success. Sonal is remarkably down-to-earth for her accomplishments, so this was a fun interview. 

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 028: Silpa Maruri on creativity, self-advocacy, and how to launch a law firm 28 28 028: Silpa Maruri on creativity, self-advocacy, and how to launch a law firm full 1489ba05-6bf4-4604-9b73-3ffb858fbfe4 https://share.transistor.fm/s/d2ee7f96 Silpa Maruri graduated from law school in 2011, but she's already been partner at renowned trial firm Quinn Emanuel and is now founding partner at Elsberg Baker Maruri, an elite commercial litigation firm. How did she do it? 

In this episode, we discuss the techniques and principles Silpa used to practice creativity and self-advocacy. Launching a new firm can seem daunting, but Silpa breaks down some of the key components and the path that got her here. 

]]> Silpa Maruri graduated from law school in 2011, but she's already been partner at renowned trial firm Quinn Emanuel and is now founding partner at Elsberg Baker Maruri, an elite commercial litigation firm. How did she do it? 

In this episode, we discuss the techniques and principles Silpa used to practice creativity and self-advocacy. Launching a new firm can seem daunting, but Silpa breaks down some of the key components and the path that got her here. 

]]> Fri, 28 Jun 2024 08:56:28 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 4014 Silpa Maruri graduated from law school in 2011, but she's already been partner at renowned trial firm Quinn Emanuel and is now founding partner at Elsberg Baker Maruri, an elite commercial litigation firm. How did she do it? 

In this episode, we discuss the techniques and principles Silpa used to practice creativity and self-advocacy. Launching a new firm can seem daunting, but Silpa breaks down some of the key components and the path that got her here. 

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 027: Samuel Levine on the prestige trap, changing the law while in law school, and why every lawyer should learn how the law works for poor people 27 27 027: Samuel Levine on the prestige trap, changing the law while in law school, and why every lawyer should learn how the law works for poor people full 67ef1a47-2f33-46d6-ab8e-70646228852f https://share.transistor.fm/s/6abec2ce Listening to this episode, you can't miss Samuel Levine's passion for consumer protection. It would be a mistake to look at his remarkable ascent from Harvard Law School to become Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the FTC as a strategic arc to power. Samuel's story illustrates why lawyers should get their hands dirty and find work you're passionate about.

I've largely advocated for a more strategic approach to career, and Samuel's approach is a nice counterbalance. I enjoyed this conversation, I hope you will to. 

]]> Listening to this episode, you can't miss Samuel Levine's passion for consumer protection. It would be a mistake to look at his remarkable ascent from Harvard Law School to become Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the FTC as a strategic arc to power. Samuel's story illustrates why lawyers should get their hands dirty and find work you're passionate about.

I've largely advocated for a more strategic approach to career, and Samuel's approach is a nice counterbalance. I enjoyed this conversation, I hope you will to. 

]]> Fri, 21 Jun 2024 10:27:58 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 5692 Listening to this episode, you can't miss Samuel Levine's passion for consumer protection. It would be a mistake to look at his remarkable ascent from Harvard Law School to become Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the FTC as a strategic arc to power. Samuel's story illustrates why lawyers should get their hands dirty and find work you're passionate about.

I've largely advocated for a more strategic approach to career, and Samuel's approach is a nice counterbalance. I enjoyed this conversation, I hope you will to. 

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 026: Heather Stevenson on moving from law to business and back, learning new skills quickly, and negotiating contracts for bananas 26 26 026: Heather Stevenson on moving from law to business and back, learning new skills quickly, and negotiating contracts for bananas full 8839539b-3f17-4b03-8059-9165902217a9 https://share.transistor.fm/s/1a3ab6da Heather Stevenson went from litigator at Sullivan & Cromwell to running a juice bar, then returned to law as a transactional lawyer at the Boston Globe where she rose to Deputy General Counsel, then became General Counsel at Red Cell Partners, an incubation firm. I've been influenced in more ways than one by Heather's adventurous career, and I admire her first-principles approach to thinking about what's important in career. 

]]> Heather Stevenson went from litigator at Sullivan & Cromwell to running a juice bar, then returned to law as a transactional lawyer at the Boston Globe where she rose to Deputy General Counsel, then became General Counsel at Red Cell Partners, an incubation firm. I've been influenced in more ways than one by Heather's adventurous career, and I admire her first-principles approach to thinking about what's important in career. 

]]> Fri, 14 Jun 2024 09:41:50 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 4197 Heather Stevenson went from litigator at Sullivan & Cromwell to running a juice bar, then returned to law as a transactional lawyer at the Boston Globe where she rose to Deputy General Counsel, then became General Counsel at Red Cell Partners, an incubation firm. I've been influenced in more ways than one by Heather's adventurous career, and I admire her first-principles approach to thinking about what's important in career. 

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 025: Kalpana Srinivasan on hip-hop dancing, making career gut decisions, and business development strategy 25 25 025: Kalpana Srinivasan on hip-hop dancing, making career gut decisions, and business development strategy full 4b48533b-3313-41cc-aec4-0b70095e6677 https://share.transistor.fm/s/afc58699 Kalpana is known as one of the top trial lawyers in the country. She’s also co-chair of one of the leading trial firms in the country, Susman Godfrey. That’s a rare combination. I took this opportunity to explore themes in Kalpana’s career and professional decisions, there’s a ton of great principles covered in this conversation.  In this episode, we talk hip-hop dancing, the role of gut decisions in career, how she approaches business development, and more. 

  • (00:00) - why Kalpana practices hip hop dancing
  • (10:27) - the role gut decisions have played in her career
  • (15:27) - how to benefit from gut decisions
  • (18:57) - how should lawyers think about joining a growing office
  • (26:47) - what Kalpana is willing to sacrifice for success
  • (31:27) - how Kalpana allocates her time and effort to new cases
  • (36:17) - how the firm gets new ideas
  • (45:07) - a firm Kalpana admires
  • (51:57) - how a trial practice helps with running a firm and vice versa
  • (01:00:47) - how Kalpana balances the history of the firm and its future
  • (01:04:47) - the most impactful tip she picked up in her training
  • (01:12:07) - how Kalpana litigates differently from Steve Susman
  • (01:13:47) - Kalpana’s favorite phase of litigation
  • (01:22:27) - my take on Kalpana’s superpower
  • (01:26:17) - how Kalpana approaches business development
  • (01:36:37) - “show, don’t tell”
  • (01:40:27) - what Kalpana is most excited about in her career
  • (01:45:37) - why she believes in doing both plaintiff and defense work
  • (01:50:47) - Kalpana’s advice for lawyers
]]> Kalpana is known as one of the top trial lawyers in the country. She’s also co-chair of one of the leading trial firms in the country, Susman Godfrey. That’s a rare combination. I took this opportunity to explore themes in Kalpana’s career and professional decisions, there’s a ton of great principles covered in this conversation.  In this episode, we talk hip-hop dancing, the role of gut decisions in career, how she approaches business development, and more. 

  • (00:00) - why Kalpana practices hip hop dancing
  • (10:27) - the role gut decisions have played in her career
  • (15:27) - how to benefit from gut decisions
  • (18:57) - how should lawyers think about joining a growing office
  • (26:47) - what Kalpana is willing to sacrifice for success
  • (31:27) - how Kalpana allocates her time and effort to new cases
  • (36:17) - how the firm gets new ideas
  • (45:07) - a firm Kalpana admires
  • (51:57) - how a trial practice helps with running a firm and vice versa
  • (01:00:47) - how Kalpana balances the history of the firm and its future
  • (01:04:47) - the most impactful tip she picked up in her training
  • (01:12:07) - how Kalpana litigates differently from Steve Susman
  • (01:13:47) - Kalpana’s favorite phase of litigation
  • (01:22:27) - my take on Kalpana’s superpower
  • (01:26:17) - how Kalpana approaches business development
  • (01:36:37) - “show, don’t tell”
  • (01:40:27) - what Kalpana is most excited about in her career
  • (01:45:37) - why she believes in doing both plaintiff and defense work
  • (01:50:47) - Kalpana’s advice for lawyers
]]> Thu, 02 May 2024 10:48:18 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 7048 Kalpana is known as one of the top trial lawyers in the country. She’s also co-chair of one of the leading trial firms in the country, Susman Godfrey. That’s a rare combination. I took this opportunity to explore themes in Kalpana’s career and professional decisions, there’s a ton of great principles covered in this conversation.  In this episode, we talk hip-hop dancing, the role of gut decisions in career, how she approaches business development, and more. 

  • (00:00) - why Kalpana practices hip hop dancing
  • (10:27) - the role gut decisions have played in her career
  • (15:27) - how to benefit from gut decisions
  • (18:57) - how should lawyers think about joining a growing office
  • (26:47) - what Kalpana is willing to sacrifice for success
  • (31:27) - how Kalpana allocates her time and effort to new cases
  • (36:17) - how the firm gets new ideas
  • (45:07) - a firm Kalpana admires
  • (51:57) - how a trial practice helps with running a firm and vice versa
  • (01:00:47) - how Kalpana balances the history of the firm and its future
  • (01:04:47) - the most impactful tip she picked up in her training
  • (01:12:07) - how Kalpana litigates differently from Steve Susman
  • (01:13:47) - Kalpana’s favorite phase of litigation
  • (01:22:27) - my take on Kalpana’s superpower
  • (01:26:17) - how Kalpana approaches business development
  • (01:36:37) - “show, don’t tell”
  • (01:40:27) - what Kalpana is most excited about in her career
  • (01:45:37) - why she believes in doing both plaintiff and defense work
  • (01:50:47) - Kalpana’s advice for lawyers
]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 024: Ryan McCarl on highbrow and lowbrow influences in legal writing and the book publishing journey 24 24 024: Ryan McCarl on highbrow and lowbrow influences in legal writing and the book publishing journey full 782f7223-1f41-405e-92a8-c67c3a3d330f https://share.transistor.fm/s/7bef11f1 Ryan McCarl is a founding partner at Rushing McCarl LLP and author of Elegant Legal Writing. I was intrigued by the practicality and the eclectic range of influences Ryan draws on for this latest contribution to the pantheon of legal writing books. Ryan pulls ideas from disciplines like graphic design and marketing and from authors in nonfiction and fiction alike. The result is clear guidance on how to write to be helpful, enjoyable, and original.

]]> Ryan McCarl is a founding partner at Rushing McCarl LLP and author of Elegant Legal Writing. I was intrigued by the practicality and the eclectic range of influences Ryan draws on for this latest contribution to the pantheon of legal writing books. Ryan pulls ideas from disciplines like graphic design and marketing and from authors in nonfiction and fiction alike. The result is clear guidance on how to write to be helpful, enjoyable, and original.

]]> Fri, 26 Apr 2024 09:06:37 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 2833 Ryan McCarl is a founding partner at Rushing McCarl LLP and author of Elegant Legal Writing. I was intrigued by the practicality and the eclectic range of influences Ryan draws on for this latest contribution to the pantheon of legal writing books. Ryan pulls ideas from disciplines like graphic design and marketing and from authors in nonfiction and fiction alike. The result is clear guidance on how to write to be helpful, enjoyable, and original.

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 023: Moez Kaba on boldness, the art of cross-examination, and a career-changing subway conversation 23 23 023: Moez Kaba on boldness, the art of cross-examination, and a career-changing subway conversation full c1212d88-840f-4f87-a4c8-ca53765aa31f https://share.transistor.fm/s/4628b31f Moez Kaba is the managing partner of Hueston Hennigan, the elite trial firm. Moez’s father drove a cab, and now Moez is one of the most sought-after trial lawyers in the country, and he’s only 42. We spent a lot of time exploring Moez's approach to trial and the role serendipity and boldness played in guiding his path through law. 

  • (00:45) - how he joined his firm based on a conversation on the subway
  • (09:51) - how boldness can help first-gen lawyers get a seat at the table
  • (19:45) - what’s special about cross-examination
  • (22:07) - what’s the trial moment he keeps revisiting
  • (31:03) - trying cases the Hueston Hennigan way
  • (33:01) - what’s a principle from everyday life that impact your practice
  • (34:50) - how Moez found his voice at trial
  • (41:00) - why the best trial teams are like an orchestra
  • (48:01) - how to respond to events out of your control
  • (59:24) - how has Moez related to ambition over time
  • (01:01:19) - what drove Moez to go to law school
  • (01:14:15) - Moez react to headlines about him
  • (01:25:15) - who would play Moez in a biopic

]]> Moez Kaba is the managing partner of Hueston Hennigan, the elite trial firm. Moez’s father drove a cab, and now Moez is one of the most sought-after trial lawyers in the country, and he’s only 42. We spent a lot of time exploring Moez's approach to trial and the role serendipity and boldness played in guiding his path through law. 

  • (00:45) - how he joined his firm based on a conversation on the subway
  • (09:51) - how boldness can help first-gen lawyers get a seat at the table
  • (19:45) - what’s special about cross-examination
  • (22:07) - what’s the trial moment he keeps revisiting
  • (31:03) - trying cases the Hueston Hennigan way
  • (33:01) - what’s a principle from everyday life that impact your practice
  • (34:50) - how Moez found his voice at trial
  • (41:00) - why the best trial teams are like an orchestra
  • (48:01) - how to respond to events out of your control
  • (59:24) - how has Moez related to ambition over time
  • (01:01:19) - what drove Moez to go to law school
  • (01:14:15) - Moez react to headlines about him
  • (01:25:15) - who would play Moez in a biopic

]]> Fri, 08 Mar 2024 09:07:41 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 5414 Moez Kaba is the managing partner of Hueston Hennigan, the elite trial firm. Moez’s father drove a cab, and now Moez is one of the most sought-after trial lawyers in the country, and he’s only 42. We spent a lot of time exploring Moez's approach to trial and the role serendipity and boldness played in guiding his path through law. 

  • (00:45) - how he joined his firm based on a conversation on the subway
  • (09:51) - how boldness can help first-gen lawyers get a seat at the table
  • (19:45) - what’s special about cross-examination
  • (22:07) - what’s the trial moment he keeps revisiting
  • (31:03) - trying cases the Hueston Hennigan way
  • (33:01) - what’s a principle from everyday life that impact your practice
  • (34:50) - how Moez found his voice at trial
  • (41:00) - why the best trial teams are like an orchestra
  • (48:01) - how to respond to events out of your control
  • (59:24) - how has Moez related to ambition over time
  • (01:01:19) - what drove Moez to go to law school
  • (01:14:15) - Moez react to headlines about him
  • (01:25:15) - who would play Moez in a biopic

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 022: Nimesh Gupta on therapy, moving from biglaw to bigtech to startups, and generative AI in law 22 22 022: Nimesh Gupta on therapy, moving from biglaw to bigtech to startups, and generative AI in law full d6257ac9-62ab-4f7f-805b-2e64f469bbde https://share.transistor.fm/s/079873e9 Nimesh Gupta is the founder of Briefly, a legaltech generative AI company. I met Nimesh through a mutual friend, and we hit it off - our patent litigation background, views on parenting, therapy, and entrepreneurship. 

We take Nimesh’s unconventional moves from biglaw to big tech to startups and dig into the decisions. We explored how to assess risk and opportunities in new technologies and businesses, including legaltech and generative AI. Along the way we explore how mindfulness and authenticity provided a north star for career decisions.


Disclosure: I’m an advisor to Briefly. 

]]> Nimesh Gupta is the founder of Briefly, a legaltech generative AI company. I met Nimesh through a mutual friend, and we hit it off - our patent litigation background, views on parenting, therapy, and entrepreneurship. 

We take Nimesh’s unconventional moves from biglaw to big tech to startups and dig into the decisions. We explored how to assess risk and opportunities in new technologies and businesses, including legaltech and generative AI. Along the way we explore how mindfulness and authenticity provided a north star for career decisions.


Disclosure: I’m an advisor to Briefly. 

]]> Fri, 15 Dec 2023 12:40:28 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 6553 Nimesh Gupta is the founder of Briefly, a legaltech generative AI company. I met Nimesh through a mutual friend, and we hit it off - our patent litigation background, views on parenting, therapy, and entrepreneurship. 

We take Nimesh’s unconventional moves from biglaw to big tech to startups and dig into the decisions. We explored how to assess risk and opportunities in new technologies and businesses, including legaltech and generative AI. Along the way we explore how mindfulness and authenticity provided a north star for career decisions.


Disclosure: I’m an advisor to Briefly. 

]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 021: Neel Chatterjee on moving fast and breaking things, counterintuitive career decisions, and ChatterjeePT 21 21 021: Neel Chatterjee on moving fast and breaking things, counterintuitive career decisions, and ChatterjeePT full 4a73197a-7e04-4176-8811-f22b7fa208ae https://share.transistor.fm/s/b725503b Neel Chatterjee is a partner at Goodwin. Neel is fascinating because on one hand he’s a trial lawyer that handles serious high-stakes tech disputes, and on the other hand he’s the kind of guy who has “partner and very handsome man” written on his firm business card.  We spend some time going deep on these aspects of Neel, where they came from, and how they converge. 

  • (31:40) - a counterintuitive decision career
  • (00:00) - Chapter 2
  • (36:00) - a pattern in his career
  • (00:00) - Chapter 4
  • (38:30) - his rule of thumb of building a book of clients
  • (00:00) - Chapter 6
  • (42:30) - how Neel gets things done
  • (00:00) - Chapter 8
  • (45:40) - how Neel manages peers
  • (00:00) - Chapter 10
  • (49:00) - the inflection point to rainmaking
  • (00:00) - Chapter 12
  • (01:01:30) - how do you think about risk and diversification in your career
  • (00:00) - Chapter 14
  • (01:05:30) - is Neel a salesperson?
  • (00:00) - Chapter 16
  • (01:06:50) - Neel’s superpower
  • (00:00) - Chapter 18
  • (01:10:40) - how Neel crafts trial strategy
  • (00:00) - Chapter 20
  • (01:17:30) - how Neel balances all the work
  • (00:00) - Chapter 22
  • (01:31:50) - why aren’t there more people experimenting with outsized marketing?
  • (00:00) - Chapter 24
  • (01:36:10) - does Neel feel like he’s arrived?
  • (00:00) - Chapter 26
  • (01:46:20) - where Neel’s practice is heading
  • (00:00) - Chapter 28
  • (01:49:40) - how should lawyers figure out where to direct their career
  • (00:00) - Chapter 30
  • (01:51:30) - ChatterjeeGPT
]]> Neel Chatterjee is a partner at Goodwin. Neel is fascinating because on one hand he’s a trial lawyer that handles serious high-stakes tech disputes, and on the other hand he’s the kind of guy who has “partner and very handsome man” written on his firm business card.  We spend some time going deep on these aspects of Neel, where they came from, and how they converge. 

  • (31:40) - a counterintuitive decision career
  • (00:00) - Chapter 2
  • (36:00) - a pattern in his career
  • (00:00) - Chapter 4
  • (38:30) - his rule of thumb of building a book of clients
  • (00:00) - Chapter 6
  • (42:30) - how Neel gets things done
  • (00:00) - Chapter 8
  • (45:40) - how Neel manages peers
  • (00:00) - Chapter 10
  • (49:00) - the inflection point to rainmaking
  • (00:00) - Chapter 12
  • (01:01:30) - how do you think about risk and diversification in your career
  • (00:00) - Chapter 14
  • (01:05:30) - is Neel a salesperson?
  • (00:00) - Chapter 16
  • (01:06:50) - Neel’s superpower
  • (00:00) - Chapter 18
  • (01:10:40) - how Neel crafts trial strategy
  • (00:00) - Chapter 20
  • (01:17:30) - how Neel balances all the work
  • (00:00) - Chapter 22
  • (01:31:50) - why aren’t there more people experimenting with outsized marketing?
  • (00:00) - Chapter 24
  • (01:36:10) - does Neel feel like he’s arrived?
  • (00:00) - Chapter 26
  • (01:46:20) - where Neel’s practice is heading
  • (00:00) - Chapter 28
  • (01:49:40) - how should lawyers figure out where to direct their career
  • (00:00) - Chapter 30
  • (01:51:30) - ChatterjeeGPT
]]> Fri, 01 Dec 2023 10:48:02 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 6728 Neel Chatterjee is a partner at Goodwin. Neel is fascinating because on one hand he’s a trial lawyer that handles serious high-stakes tech disputes, and on the other hand he’s the kind of guy who has “partner and very handsome man” written on his firm business card.  We spend some time going deep on these aspects of Neel, where they came from, and how they converge. 

  • (31:40) - a counterintuitive decision career
  • (00:00) - Chapter 2
  • (36:00) - a pattern in his career
  • (00:00) - Chapter 4
  • (38:30) - his rule of thumb of building a book of clients
  • (00:00) - Chapter 6
  • (42:30) - how Neel gets things done
  • (00:00) - Chapter 8
  • (45:40) - how Neel manages peers
  • (00:00) - Chapter 10
  • (49:00) - the inflection point to rainmaking
  • (00:00) - Chapter 12
  • (01:01:30) - how do you think about risk and diversification in your career
  • (00:00) - Chapter 14
  • (01:05:30) - is Neel a salesperson?
  • (00:00) - Chapter 16
  • (01:06:50) - Neel’s superpower
  • (00:00) - Chapter 18
  • (01:10:40) - how Neel crafts trial strategy
  • (00:00) - Chapter 20
  • (01:17:30) - how Neel balances all the work
  • (00:00) - Chapter 22
  • (01:31:50) - why aren’t there more people experimenting with outsized marketing?
  • (00:00) - Chapter 24
  • (01:36:10) - does Neel feel like he’s arrived?
  • (00:00) - Chapter 26
  • (01:46:20) - where Neel’s practice is heading
  • (00:00) - Chapter 28
  • (01:49:40) - how should lawyers figure out where to direct their career
  • (00:00) - Chapter 30
  • (01:51:30) - ChatterjeeGPT
]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 020: Paul Grewal on asymmetric bets, conspiracy theories, and the best question for career decisions 20 20 020: Paul Grewal on asymmetric bets, conspiracy theories, and the best question for career decisions full b67172f6-1e1b-49cd-8a76-60359d7182af https://share.transistor.fm/s/71934c15 Paul Grewal is the Chief Legal Officer at Coinbase. As the highly visible head lawyer at a company perennially making headlines, much of Paul's story and approach is well-known. This interview explores the lesser-known aspects of Paul's career moves: how Paul thinks about risk, the key question to ask in making a career change, and a conspiracy theory he can't shake. 

  • (09:12) - the financial and emotional changes in leaving practice for the bench
  • (15:30) - the most challenging part of being a judge
  • (22:10) - the most skillful advocacy he observed
  • (48:27) - what made Coinbase an asymmetric bet
  • (01:07:12) - how can more lawyers take risks
  • (01:15:32) - what’s a decision he made that he wasn’t sure he got right
  • (01:20:02) - what’s a conspiracy theory Paul believes in
  • (01:26:20) - why Paul is so active on social media
  • (01:36:40) - what Paul’s learned about storytelling
  • (01:39:48) - the number one question to ask to make career decisions
  • (01:41:55) - what his peers would say Paul is particularly good at
]]> Paul Grewal is the Chief Legal Officer at Coinbase. As the highly visible head lawyer at a company perennially making headlines, much of Paul's story and approach is well-known. This interview explores the lesser-known aspects of Paul's career moves: how Paul thinks about risk, the key question to ask in making a career change, and a conspiracy theory he can't shake. 

  • (09:12) - the financial and emotional changes in leaving practice for the bench
  • (15:30) - the most challenging part of being a judge
  • (22:10) - the most skillful advocacy he observed
  • (48:27) - what made Coinbase an asymmetric bet
  • (01:07:12) - how can more lawyers take risks
  • (01:15:32) - what’s a decision he made that he wasn’t sure he got right
  • (01:20:02) - what’s a conspiracy theory Paul believes in
  • (01:26:20) - why Paul is so active on social media
  • (01:36:40) - what Paul’s learned about storytelling
  • (01:39:48) - the number one question to ask to make career decisions
  • (01:41:55) - what his peers would say Paul is particularly good at
]]> Thu, 10 Aug 2023 22:27:05 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 6810 Paul Grewal is the Chief Legal Officer at Coinbase. As the highly visible head lawyer at a company perennially making headlines, much of Paul's story and approach is well-known. This interview explores the lesser-known aspects of Paul's career moves: how Paul thinks about risk, the key question to ask in making a career change, and a conspiracy theory he can't shake. 

  • (09:12) - the financial and emotional changes in leaving practice for the bench
  • (15:30) - the most challenging part of being a judge
  • (22:10) - the most skillful advocacy he observed
  • (48:27) - what made Coinbase an asymmetric bet
  • (01:07:12) - how can more lawyers take risks
  • (01:15:32) - what’s a decision he made that he wasn’t sure he got right
  • (01:20:02) - what’s a conspiracy theory Paul believes in
  • (01:26:20) - why Paul is so active on social media
  • (01:36:40) - what Paul’s learned about storytelling
  • (01:39:48) - the number one question to ask to make career decisions
  • (01:41:55) - what his peers would say Paul is particularly good at
]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 019: Alamdar Hamdani on "the Mama Rule", entrepreneurial civil service, and the most underrated risk in the US 19 19 019: Alamdar Hamdani on "the Mama Rule", entrepreneurial civil service, and the most underrated risk in the US full 521026cc-ddaa-4d12-816a-aa0a2e701726 https://share.transistor.fm/s/8094a2e3 Alamdar Hamdani is the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, one of the most important jurisdictions in the country. What I love about his story is that it’s the classic  American story of how the son of poor immigrants in small-town Texas became the US attorney for one of the most important jurisdictions in the country. 


But I discovered another equally American part of this story I hadn’t heard elsewhere - the story of the entrepreneurial civil service that led him to where he is today. 

  • (16:00) - the decision that changed his career
  • (19:00) - how selling Sesame Street books led to the decision that changed his career
  • (39:30) - how the South Asian bar led Alamdar to the US Attorney’s Office.
  • (42:30) - the shocking story of how Alamdar accepted his role as Assistant US Attorney
  • (47:00) - what role does taking big risks in your career
  • (58:00) - the lawyers Alamdar met early in his career
  • (01:11:30) - the “Mama rule”
  • (01:27:30) - what’s the most underrated risk the US faces
  • (01:32:30) - what are national trends in enforcement
]]> Alamdar Hamdani is the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, one of the most important jurisdictions in the country. What I love about his story is that it’s the classic  American story of how the son of poor immigrants in small-town Texas became the US attorney for one of the most important jurisdictions in the country. 


But I discovered another equally American part of this story I hadn’t heard elsewhere - the story of the entrepreneurial civil service that led him to where he is today. 

  • (16:00) - the decision that changed his career
  • (19:00) - how selling Sesame Street books led to the decision that changed his career
  • (39:30) - how the South Asian bar led Alamdar to the US Attorney’s Office.
  • (42:30) - the shocking story of how Alamdar accepted his role as Assistant US Attorney
  • (47:00) - what role does taking big risks in your career
  • (58:00) - the lawyers Alamdar met early in his career
  • (01:11:30) - the “Mama rule”
  • (01:27:30) - what’s the most underrated risk the US faces
  • (01:32:30) - what are national trends in enforcement
]]> Fri, 14 Jul 2023 08:19:19 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 6536 Alamdar Hamdani is the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, one of the most important jurisdictions in the country. What I love about his story is that it’s the classic  American story of how the son of poor immigrants in small-town Texas became the US attorney for one of the most important jurisdictions in the country. 


But I discovered another equally American part of this story I hadn’t heard elsewhere - the story of the entrepreneurial civil service that led him to where he is today. 

  • (16:00) - the decision that changed his career
  • (19:00) - how selling Sesame Street books led to the decision that changed his career
  • (39:30) - how the South Asian bar led Alamdar to the US Attorney’s Office.
  • (42:30) - the shocking story of how Alamdar accepted his role as Assistant US Attorney
  • (47:00) - what role does taking big risks in your career
  • (58:00) - the lawyers Alamdar met early in his career
  • (01:11:30) - the “Mama rule”
  • (01:27:30) - what’s the most underrated risk the US faces
  • (01:32:30) - what are national trends in enforcement
]]> law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 018: Gurbir Grewal on nonlinear career paths, how government should use media, and identifying enforcement priorities 18 18 018: Gurbir Grewal on nonlinear career paths, how government should use media, and identifying enforcement priorities full abf143df-c7f4-4731-894d-872dbccc1bee https://share.transistor.fm/s/e1a0dc90 Tue, 06 Sep 2022 08:33:41 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 5685 Gurbir Grewal's meteoric ascent to the Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement may seem charmed, but here Gurbir shares the tradeoffs and costs of the steps he took. Gurbir is uniquely down-to-earth for someone so public and prominent, and this interview went deep into the decisions and experiences that shaped his path. Gurbir Grewal's meteoric ascent to the Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement may seem charmed, but here Gurbir shares the tradeoffs and costs of the steps he took. Gurbir is uniquely down-to-earth for someone so public and prominent, and this inte law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 017: Amandeep Sidhu on turning tragedy into opportunity at The Sikh Coalition, creating consensus and finding allies, and building a portfolio of causes 17 17 017: Amandeep Sidhu on turning tragedy into opportunity at The Sikh Coalition, creating consensus and finding allies, and building a portfolio of causes full 2bcf2c7b-5649-4ac5-8561-4660b8a501b6 https://share.transistor.fm/s/b5ab6e4a Thu, 12 Aug 2021 21:49:55 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 5465 It's inspiring to hear the origin of The Sikh Coalition in the aftermath of 9/11 and the disproportional impact on the Sikh community. But it's all the more remarkable to hear how Winston & Strawn partner Amandeep Sidhu and his cofounders built an organization around consensus-building causes that benefit multiple communities. And how Amandeep did it by getting stakeholders at his law firm to support him along the way. This episode is for anyone looking to make a social impact and learn how to develop thoughtful responses to the inevitable crises and opportunities. It's inspiring to hear the origin of The Sikh Coalition in the aftermath of 9/11 and the disproportional impact on the Sikh community. But it's all the more remarkable to hear how Winston & Strawn partner Amandeep Sidhu and his cofounders built an org law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 016: Avaneesh Marwaha on carrying out the goals he wrote on a legal pad at 25, the #1 skill lawyers need to develop now, and what betting on yourself feels like 16 16 016: Avaneesh Marwaha on carrying out the goals he wrote on a legal pad at 25, the #1 skill lawyers need to develop now, and what betting on yourself feels like full 262434f4-70c2-4e96-bbd7-bac63edac76e https://share.transistor.fm/s/ef7601d8 Fri, 30 Jul 2021 07:44:01 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 5929 As the CEO of Litera, Avaneesh Marwaha is responsible for setting the pace of innovation at a leading legaltech company. So when Avaneesh shared some of the goals he set for himself at 25 that he's still carrying out at 40, I had to dig in to learn more. A company like Litera has a powerful lens on the legal industry and where it's headed. So we spent a lot of time talking about core insights like what makes clients stick with law firms. We also discuss the three areas Avaneesh sees opportunities for lawyers to move into legaltech, and the #1 skill lawyers need to develop now to advance their practice. This conversation is for anyone interested in learning what it feels like to bet on yourself and to move into a growing frontier. As the CEO of Litera, Avaneesh Marwaha is responsible for setting the pace of innovation at a leading legaltech company. So when Avaneesh shared some of the goals he set for himself at 25 that he's still carrying out at 40, I had to dig in to learn more. law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 015: Kenneth Anand on writing the book on sneaker law, the returns to focusing on individuality, and lessons learned from Kanye 15 15 015: Kenneth Anand on writing the book on sneaker law, the returns to focusing on individuality, and lessons learned from Kanye full f8930818-2549-4264-a85d-95683e9a3bd6 https://share.transistor.fm/s/5b1450cb Thu, 22 Apr 2021 17:44:57 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 4725 When I was introduced to Kenneth Anand, I was equal parts excited and anxious. I'm no more than a casual fan of Kanye's work and I've never been into streetwear. But how could I say no to meeting the ex-GC of Yeezy? Kenneth and I ended up having a sprawling conversation about his new book Sneaker Law and how it departs from traditional legal casebooks. We talked about his journey from producing hip hop to law and how after 15 years of practicing law he oriented himself back to his roots in streetwear. We talked about how the methods and culture around sneakers and streetwear is moving into other industries. And we talked about lessons learned from Kanye himself. When I was introduced to Kenneth Anand, I was equal parts excited and anxious. I'm no more than a casual fan of Kanye's work and I've never been into streetwear. But how could I say no to meeting the ex-GC of Yeezy? Kenneth and I ended up having a spra law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 014: Manik Suri on the alpha of inner confidence, the law clinic origin of his cold chain technology company, and renewable sources of internal energy 14 14 014: Manik Suri on the alpha of inner confidence, the law clinic origin of his cold chain technology company, and renewable sources of internal energy full 18f5162b-3c63-433a-a438-4a9f0ca97d36 https://share.transistor.fm/s/188555c2 Thu, 18 Mar 2021 17:56:22 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 3131 It's hard to picture a better time to grow a cold chain technology company like Therma, and it's even harder to picture the legal clinic origins of the business. Manik Suri has made a career out of synthesizing surprising insights and finding talent to partner with. In this episode we discuss what Manik learned from a friend that ended up as a presidential candidate on how to channel your inner confidence. You'll learn a new question to ask yourself "what kind of energy am I burning?" And we talk about how to manage downside risk by getting over the fear of failure. It's hard to picture a better time to grow a cold chain technology company like Therma, and it's even harder to picture the legal clinic origins of the business. Manik Suri has made a career out of synthesizing surprising insights and finding talent to pa law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 013: Judge Matthew Kennelly on how he manages his docket, how new ideas spread among judges, and the interesting implications of lifetime tenure 13 13 013: Judge Matthew Kennelly on how he manages his docket, how new ideas spread among judges, and the interesting implications of lifetime tenure full 9dfa3229-716e-4b75-8386-7e830667c7ea https://share.transistor.fm/s/f0dc0535 Thu, 04 Mar 2021 10:24:40 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 6974 Federal judges are fascinating because they resolve high stakes matters addressing a wide swath of issues touching on every aspect of society. And because of their limited resources and the 30-some new cases they get a month in a busy court like the Northern District of Illinois, they have to become experts at building systems for making decisions. So I'm happy that I got to spend two hours with Judge Matthew Kennelly to learn about what he does. We explored the tools he's developed for helping bring disputes to resolution in the 22 years he's been on the bench. We talked about some of the interesting implications of lifetime tenure, how he's changed how he manages his docket, new ideas and how they spread among judges, what's difficult about sentencing, and the tradeoffs between standardization and individual attention on cases. Judges are used to people laughing at their jokes, but Judge Kennelly is actually funny (although I won't repeat that he's a "pillar of our community" because apparently he's heard that enough times). I hope you'll enjoy this rare in-depth conversation. Federal judges are fascinating because they resolve high stakes matters addressing a wide swath of issues touching on every aspect of society. And because of their limited resources and the 30-some new cases they get a month in a busy court like the North law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 012: Chief Judge James Holderman on lessons from growing up on a farm, the hardest task he had on the bench, and how he'd change federal litigation 12 12 012: Chief Judge James Holderman on lessons from growing up on a farm, the hardest task he had on the bench, and how he'd change federal litigation full 967a5e34-8aa6-4c2a-9cee-1c56aa946a4b https://share.transistor.fm/s/337f24ea Fri, 19 Feb 2021 09:32:55 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 3901 I'm thrilled to share this interview Chief Judge James Holderman (ret.) formerly of the Northern District and now a mediator at JAMS ADR. Externing for Judge Holderman in law school was an inflection point in my legal development, and I feel like I've been riding that wave ever since. It's rare to get a chance to sit with a federal judge and explore lessons from 30 years on the bench. We talked about his upbringing on a farm in Southern Illinois and some of the surprising legacy that's had on his judicial career. We discussed how he wielded authority from the bench, and the hardest task he faced on the bench. Judge Holderman shared some of his prescriptions for improving how federal litigation is conducted. I'm thrilled to share this interview Chief Judge James Holderman (ret.) formerly of the Northern District and now a mediator at JAMS ADR. Externing for Judge Holderman in law school was an inflection point in my legal development, and I feel like I've bee law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 011: Archit Shah on creating legal solutions for Robinhood, misconceptions about fintech, and yes Gamestop 11 11 011: Archit Shah on creating legal solutions for Robinhood, misconceptions about fintech, and yes Gamestop full 1b0e1b4a-966a-4601-9772-534f58006f1a https://share.transistor.fm/s/81af1f00 Thu, 11 Feb 2021 21:04:32 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 3822 When Archit and I planned to do this episode in the new year, we didn't quite expect this much attention on Robinhood. We explore Archit's arc from the first lawyer at Robinhood to general counsel. We talked about the lessons learned from building a team of dozens of lawyers, and how he approached the novel legal and regulatory issues along the way. We covered the regulatory landscape for fintech companies, reasons to be bullish on crypto, and yes, we talked about Gamestop. When Archit and I planned to do this episode in the new year, we didn't quite expect this much attention on Robinhood. We explore Archit's arc from the first lawyer at Robinhood to general counsel. We talked about the lessons learned from building a team law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 010: Megha Parekh on how strengths can become weaknesses, why perfectionism isn't the goal, and being unapologetically yourself 10 10 010: Megha Parekh on how strengths can become weaknesses, why perfectionism isn't the goal, and being unapologetically yourself full ab451cc5-4ddb-4f3b-8b0b-b18f17aff942 https://share.transistor.fm/s/1e06fb29 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 12:51:14 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 2929 I didn't expect to interview someone at another Florida sports franchise so soon, but I'm glad I had a chance to talk to Megha Parekh, Chief Legal Officer of the Jacksonville Jaguars. One of the most interesting themes from the conversation was around work-life integration and the systems she's used to foster it in herself and others. There were insights into the relation of remote work and inclusivity, and lessons on the perils of perfectionism. This interview is for anyone interested in being unapologetically yourself and refusing to cut out the fun in your life. I didn't expect to interview someone at another Florida sports franchise so soon, but I'm glad I had a chance to talk to Megha Parekh, Chief Legal Officer of the Jacksonville Jaguars. One of the most interesting themes from the conversation was around wor law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 009: Kunal Patel on the future of South Asian creatives, lessons from working with celebrity musicians, and how to ignore a title 9 9 009: Kunal Patel on the future of South Asian creatives, lessons from working with celebrity musicians, and how to ignore a title full fa8e2fd0-4b9d-4796-9b0d-901374262cf3 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ddfeded8 Thu, 28 Jan 2021 22:00:42 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 3609 Kunal Patel and I something less of a conversation and more of a jam session. We explored his career as a creative and a lawyer to creatives and the multi-year grit it took to land the roles he took on. I don't know how many lawyers once drove for Uber or took a paralegal role to get a foot in the door at the right company. We also explored his ambitions for South Asian creatives and why representation in media really matters. One quote from Kunal has stayed with me: "there can't be a first unless there's a second and a third and a fourth." This interview was a first. Kunal Patel and I something less of a conversation and more of a jam session. We explored his career as a creative and a lawyer to creatives and the multi-year grit it took to land the roles he took on. I don't know how many lawyers once drove for Uber or law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 008: Bilal Zaidi on the benefits of concentrating your forces, insights from interviewing top creators, and a revelatory glass of pomegranate juice in Lahore 8 8 008: Bilal Zaidi on the benefits of concentrating your forces, insights from interviewing top creators, and a revelatory glass of pomegranate juice in Lahore full 5cacd63a-f8ed-48d2-9a0b-0c62f2b54154 https://share.transistor.fm/s/5bd869e0 Thu, 21 Jan 2021 12:59:19 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 4275 Bilal Zaidi is the host of one of my favorite podcasts, Creator Lab. We explored the genesis of his podcast and the connections it drew between his influences from Pakistani, the UK, and the US. We dove into some of the patterns Bilal has discerned from interviewing CEOs, investors, and writers. We also compared experiences growing up Pakistani in the UK and the US and some of the surprising differences. Bilal Zaidi is the host of one of my favorite podcasts, Creator Lab. We explored the genesis of his podcast and the connections it drew between his influences from Pakistani, the UK, and the US. We dove into some of the patterns Bilal has discerned from i law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 007: Ashwin Krishnan on the future of sports as entertainment, bootstrapping his role as general counsel, and reflections on Miami's past and future 7 7 007: Ashwin Krishnan on the future of sports as entertainment, bootstrapping his role as general counsel, and reflections on Miami's past and future full 8685ddff-c4f5-496a-aa7c-99ec9169afda https://share.transistor.fm/s/04189042 Tue, 12 Jan 2021 13:53:33 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 3602 You probably know more about baseball than me, but I'm glad I had a chance to learn a little about the business of the game with Ashwin Krishnan, General Counsel of the Miami Marlins. As soon as you start talking with him, you can tell he's built differently than other attorneys - there's no jargon and he's high-energy. It was fascinating to hear about how the Marlins is thinking about its place in entertainment as it competes not just with other franchises but Disney, gambling, and even Netflix. For those contemplating a move to Miami, Ashwin has the perfect pitch. And for those who want to forge their own career, Ashwin's example is inspiring. You probably know more about baseball than me, but I'm glad I had a chance to learn a little about the business of the game with Ashwin Krishnan, General Counsel of the Miami Marlins. As soon as you start talking with him, you can tell he's built differen law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 006: Sachin Shivaram on how Atlas Shrugged led him to steel, the advantages of being an outsider, and what's special about Wisconsin 6 6 006: Sachin Shivaram on how Atlas Shrugged led him to steel, the advantages of being an outsider, and what's special about Wisconsin full 6e36819f-6dae-4583-973a-bd00d1dedb6c https://share.transistor.fm/s/b6891717 Tue, 29 Dec 2020 12:47:34 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 3123 Sachin Shivaram is CEO of Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry Co. I was fascinated with Sachin's journey that started with every credential imaginable and led him to running an aluminum foundry in Manitowoc, WI. We talked about the surprising revelation he had from reading Atlas Shrugged that led him to the steel industry, a panic moment when hosting Joe Biden, and what's special about Wisconsin. Sachin Shivaram is CEO of Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry Co. I was fascinated with Sachin's journey that started with every credential imaginable and led him to running an aluminum foundry in Manitowoc, WI. We talked about the surprising revelation he had fro law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 005: Avanti Bakane on how to collect people, how to find allies, and why should you never stress over good intentions 5 5 005: Avanti Bakane on how to collect people, how to find allies, and why should you never stress over good intentions full 3edb8677-903f-4510-bc43-692127c17552 https://share.transistor.fm/s/e1f38f6f Thu, 24 Dec 2020 13:35:39 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 2582 Avanti Bakane is a partner at Gordon Rees. I've known Avanti for some years now, and I've been consistently impressed with her ability to collect and connect people. I sat down with Avanti to discuss her people-driven approach to her career and what she's learned about building allies and how to manage by playing to your team's strengths. Avanti is just easy to talk to and I admire how even-keeled she is for a big-firm lawyer. Avanti Bakane is a partner at Gordon Rees. I've known Avanti for some years now, and I've been consistently impressed with her ability to collect and connect people. I sat down with Avanti to discuss her people-driven approach to her career and what she's law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 004: Rudhir Krishtel on finding true autonomy, book learning vs. experiential changes, and how a pair of red Jordans changed his life 4 4 004: Rudhir Krishtel on finding true autonomy, book learning vs. experiential changes, and how a pair of red Jordans changed his life full 154d41f9-2c79-4031-b55c-46037cc1d3d3 https://share.transistor.fm/s/fb0376b6 Mon, 14 Dec 2020 12:19:45 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 2917 Rudhir Kristhel is the founder of Krishtel Coaching and a former attorney. We started the conversation talking about how his beard helped me strike out on his own and ended it with Rudhir's three-part framework for how to think about growing relationships. The theme of this conversation is how to tune in to yourself to be a better player in the game of career and life. Rudhir Kristhel is the founder of Krishtel Coaching and a former attorney. We started the conversation talking about how his beard helped me strike out on his own and ended it with Rudhir's three-part framework for how to think about growing relationships law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 003: Vivek Jayaram on building for creatives, diversity of thought in practice, and getting clients on Craigslist 3 3 003: Vivek Jayaram on building for creatives, diversity of thought in practice, and getting clients on Craigslist full 09850d38-a585-4cbf-9d5f-d95c12a3e7f3 https://share.transistor.fm/s/a7a4efbd Wed, 09 Dec 2020 13:39:54 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 4248 Vivek is founder of Jayaram Law. He went from biglaw to opening his own firm in the depth of a recession, which now has three offices and is growing. We talked about how much of his growth has come from a core insight around aligning the legal work to clientele and firm culture. That lead to some interesting conversation about how to think about diversity and why contemporary culture matters for lawyers. Vivek is founder of Jayaram Law. He went from biglaw to opening his own firm in the depth of a recession, which now has three offices and is growing. We talked about how much of his growth has come from a core insight around aligning the legal work to cli law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 002: Vineet Shahani on politics as VC, career home runs v. singles, and the benefits of taking a pay cut 2 2 002: Vineet Shahani on politics as VC, career home runs v. singles, and the benefits of taking a pay cut full 7e551bb9-ebdf-4865-b1c1-d5d03ca9cdd1 https://share.transistor.fm/s/bfcb11dd Vineet and I talked about:

  • picking the right narrative for your career
  • career home runs v. singles
  • politics as venture capital 
  • how to make losses as useful as wins
  • the benefits of taking a pay cut
]]> Vineet and I talked about:

  • picking the right narrative for your career
  • career home runs v. singles
  • politics as venture capital 
  • how to make losses as useful as wins
  • the benefits of taking a pay cut
]]> Tue, 17 Nov 2020 10:44:41 -0500 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 4312 Vineet Shahani is Director, Legal at Google. He went from biglaw to a small fintech company, then moved to Apple, which he left to join Nest as its second attorney before it was acquired by Google. It would be easy to talk just about his successes, but we made space to talk about setbacks and how to create opportunity in downturns. Vineet Shahani is Director, Legal at Google. He went from biglaw to a small fintech company, then moved to Apple, which he left to join Nest as its second attorney before it was acquired by Google. It would be easy to talk just about his successes, but we law, legal, career, networking, strategy No 001: Adam Gill on trading Chinese microcaps for fun and profit, creating opportunities by publishing, and how to get in the flow 1 1 001: Adam Gill on trading Chinese microcaps for fun and profit, creating opportunities by publishing, and how to get in the flow full 9a1b4199-1b9a-4e27-9ff8-58a34f326028 https://share.transistor.fm/s/26817d27 Learn more about Adam at https://www.glscap.com/our-team/

Learn more about Khurram at https://www.naik.co. 

]]> Learn more about Adam at https://www.glscap.com/our-team/

Learn more about Khurram at https://www.naik.co. 

]]> Mon, 19 Oct 2020 14:12:01 -0400 Khurram Naik Khurram Naik 2515 Adam Gill is a founder and Managing Director at GLS Capital and a leader in litigation finance. I talked to Adam to learn how he obtained his financial independence and used that to pursue the opportunities that led him where he is today. We discussed the strategies to create opportunities and serendipity. And we dive into the investments he's made, and how he recommends others invest their time and effort and capital. Adam’s experience in litigation finance began in 2013 when he joined Gerchen Keller Capital, LLC (“GKC”) as its first employee and led its patent investment team as the firm grew from $100 million AUM into the world’s largest private fund focused on legal and regulatory risk in 2016, with $1.4 billion AUM. After GKC was acquired by Burford in December 2016, Adam served as a Principal at Burford. Prior to joining GKC, Adam was a partner in the patent litigation group of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago. Before joining K&E in 2004, Adam was a litigator in the Silicon Valley office of Dechert LLP, where he practiced patent, trade secret, securities and antitrust litigation. Adam holds a J.D. from the University of California-Hastings College of the Law and a B.A. from the University of South Carolina. Adam Gill is a founder and Managing Director at GLS Capital and a leader in litigation finance. I talked to Adam to learn how he obtained his financial independence and used that to pursue the opportunities that led him where he is today. We discussed the law, legal, career, networking, strategy No