Episodios

  • First Native American Woman President of the ABA: Mary Smith's Incredible Career

    First Native American Woman President of the ABA: Mary Smith's Incredible Career
    Jun 20 2024
    Guest Mary Smith is an accomplished attorney and the first Native American woman to become president of the American Bar Association. In addition to a distinguished career in legal leadership for billion-dollar organizations, including CEO of the national organization Indian Health Services, she is also active in many civic organizations, including the Caroline and Ora Smith Foundation, dedicated to helping young Native American women forge careers in STEM fields. Smith’s career took a long and winding path, including a stop serving in the White House and the Department of Justice, along with billion-dollar publicly traded companies. Smith said the key has been to remain curious and open to new opportunities throughout her career. Being willing to take risks and face various challenges has driven her career to amazing heights. Smith explains how she never limited herself to any presupposed direction. Sometimes, you think you’ve selected a singular path, but if you remain open to new opportunities, that path can lead you to places you’ve never imagined and take you higher than you thought possible. As Smith says in this inspiring episode: “Be true to yourself. Believe in yourself. And seek help, mentors, and others who can help along the way.” Resources: “Asked & Answered: Mary Smith, ’91, President, American Bar Association,” University of Chicago School of Law Caroline and Ora Smith Foundation American Bar Association American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Native Americans: A Crisis in Health Equity ABA President to Students: You Will Change the Practice of Law Working to Ensure an Enduring American Democracy ABA Task Force for American Democracy
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    31 m
  • Making A Difference Through The Offices of the Inspector General

    Making A Difference Through The Offices of the Inspector General
    May 23 2024
    As a new lawyer, have you ever considered a career in government oversight? It’s a broad, important field that ensures a wide range of agencies work as designed while protecting public funds and interests. Guest Lucy Lang is a former prosecutor now serving as the New York Inspector General. She is charged with overseeing investigations into corruption, fraud, and abuse in the New York State government (more than 100 agencies) and has been a steady advocate of criminal justice reform. Lang shares her path and passion in this inspiring episode of Young Lawyer Rising. The complex nature of Lang’s work depends heavily on her ability to lead, a skill she had to learn on her own and is now pressing the legal education field to include in law school curriculum. Seeking out mentors, learning on the job, and taking on new challenges were all part of her career growth. “If not you, then who,” she asks. “Be brave; take the bull by the horns.” Get an inside look at the workings of government oversight, the value of public service, untangling difficult ethical decisions, and making a positive difference through leadership. It could be just what you need to help you take your next, bold step. Resources: New York Offices of the Inspector General New York State Offices of the Inspector General, Job Postings Lucy Lang, Wikipedia “Lucy Lang ’06: An Advocate for Criminal Justice Reform and Government Integrity,” Columbia University News Lucy Lang, Selected Publications “New York State Inspector General Report Finds Persistent Racial Disparities in Discipline Within New York State Prisons” “NYS Parks Employee Pleads Guilty to Official Misconduct” New York State government oversight hotline: 1-800-DO RIGHT New York Offices of the Inspector General on Twitter/X ABA Section of State and Local Government Law American Bar Association American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division
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    35 m
  • Environmental Law: An Exciting, Dynamic Field For Newer Lawyers

    Environmental Law: An Exciting, Dynamic Field For Newer Lawyers
    Apr 25 2024
    Environmental law is a dynamic field that evolves rapidly with new challenges as they emerge but also against the backdrop of the politics of state and federal administrations. Regulatory focus shifts from administration to administration and crisis to crisis, creating a challenging area of law for those who practice it. Our guest, David Mandelbaum, is a shareholder with the firm of Greenberg Traurig and has practiced environmental law since 1984. He’s seen a lot, from focusing on solid waste landfills decades ago to today’s challenges created by a changing climate. Legal procedures vary from state to state in addition to how the federal government oversees environmental issues, challenging practitioners to understand the law and the issues and the procedural process. Laws and statutes are in constant flux. For newer lawyers, Mandelbaum says the constant changes in the field of environmental law level the playing field between experienced attorneys and those getting out of law school. Changes come so fast that a new lawyer who has studied the latest regulations and cases can be on equal footing with someone who has practiced in the field for decades. In this field, it’s never “the way we’ve always done it.” If you’ve ever considered a career in environmental law, this discussion may open your eyes to new opportunities. Resources: “SEC Adopts Rules to Enhance and Standardize Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors,” SEC.gov Superfunds and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency “EPA Imposes First National Limits On 'Forever Chemicals' In Drinking Water,” NBC news Pennsylvania Environmental Law Forum 2024 Different Career Paths in Environmental Law Nurturing the Future of Animal Law American Bar Association on Environment, Energy, and Resources American Bar Association American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division
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    37 m
  • This Lawyer Embraces Her Disability. Now She Fights For Others.

    This Lawyer Embraces Her Disability. Now She Fights For Others.
    Mar 21 2024
    Guest Evita Nwosu-Sylvester focuses on the civil rights and fair lending needs of middle- to low-income earners in their quest for affordable housing. She works in multifamily fair lending operations at Freddie Mac (the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.). But Nwosu-Sylvester is also a fighter for rights, fair hiring needs, and workplace accommodation for those embracing disabilities. Nwosu-Sylvester followed a nontraditional path to her legal career. She earned her undergraduate degree in psychology with the goal of pursuing that field, focusing on helping people with disabilities. Then, the idea of putting a law degree to work in the field of disability and civil rights attracted her. Throughout her education, she worked to embrace her own disability – cerebral palsy – and learn how to live independently while making a difference. In her legal career, Nwosu-Sylvester shows organizations that people with disabilities are capable, valuable contributors. Accommodation doesn’t have to be insurmountable or expensive, and Nwosu-Sylvester and her team regularly make themselves available to help organizations understand and develop neurodiversity policies and programs. RESOURCES: U.S. Department of Labor Job Accommodation Network (JAN) ABA Commission on Disability Rights The American Association of People With Disabilities American Bar Association American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division
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    33 m
  • Making a Difference Through a Career in Civil Rights Law

    Making a Difference Through a Career in Civil Rights Law
    Feb 22 2024
    Guest Michael Kippins is a Boston-based civil rights attorney with Lawyers For Civil Rights. Driven by a desire to advocate for those too often left without robust representation, Kippins made the courageous jump from a big law setting to his civil rights practice and hasn’t looked back. In one of his high-profile cases, Kippins is challenging what the suit describes as Harvard University’s system of admission bias toward “legacy” students and the harm that practice poses to communities, including first-generation students and students of color.  During the episode, Kippins discusses the differences between civil rights law and his previous role in big law. From working with community groups to prioritizing public awareness of his cases, the range of skills required as a civil rights attorney is diverse and unique to the practice. A career in civil rights litigation can be a labor of love and fulfill a passion. Hear how the work civil rights attorneys does make a difference in people’s lives. If you’ve been interested in pro bono work, if you’ve found something missing in another area of law, or if you’re simply curious about civil rights law, this is an episode you can’t miss. Christina Gregg served as the associate producer on this episode of Young Lawyer Rising.   Resources: Why I Became a Civil Rights Attorney  ABA Civil Rights and Social Justice Section Lawyers For Civil Rights Lawyers For Civil Rights, Facebook   Lawyers For Civil Rights, Email: office@lawyersforcivilrights.org Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association Boys & Girls Club of Boston Newsweek, “Harvard Faces Another Legal Fight Over Its Admissions” Reuters, “Harvard 'Legacy' Policy Challenged On Heels Of Affirmative Action Ruling” SXSW Educational Seminar Week American Bar Association American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division
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    37 m
  • 2023’s Lessons Learned: Your Inspiring Stories

    2023’s Lessons Learned: Your Inspiring Stories
    Jan 25 2024
    Happy New Year, and what a year that was. Host Montana Funk sits down with Tamara Nash, chair of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, to review 2023 and share stories from listeners about the past year. For listeners, it was a year of lessons learned. Learning how to separate work and life is difficult, but in one case, a young lawyer reported that an unexpected health issue forced her to learn what life’s about and that it’s OK to ask for help. Hear how she learned that being a good lawyer means being a healthy lawyer. Take care of yourself. In another letter, a listener shares how, like our host, they moved to the United States and took on a career in law. Leaning on the resources of the American Bar Association and the state bar has proven crucial to success in a challenging field. And it was a year of “back to normal” after those crazy COVID years. For young lawyers who worked through the pandemic, 2023 was a time to catch up on the training and mentoring they missed. Hear how a senior lawyer recognized that gap and redoubled efforts to help younger attorneys. Rebuild connections, professional and personal. Young Lawyer Rising is more than a podcast; it’s a community. Draw inspiration from how others overcame life’s bumps during the past year. Embrace your professional colleagues and know that you’re never alone. Support is all around you.   Blair Hlinka served as the associate producer on this episode of Young Lawyer Rising.   Resources: Thinking Like a Lawyer to Navigate the Challenges of Long COVID Pushing Yourself Too Hard? Your Health and Wellness Matters How to Make Your Law Firm See the Benefits of Bar Involvement 5 Tips for Mentoring and Managing Legal Interns The Importance of Mentorship and Sponsorship in the Legal Profession University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law American Bar Association American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division
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    34 m
  • Insights from a Transactional Tax Attorney on a Career In Tax Law

    Insights from a Transactional Tax Attorney on a Career In Tax Law
    Dec 21 2023
    It’s been said there are only two things in life that are certain: death and taxes. Guest Anthony DeRiso can help with one of them. He’s a tax attorney. It may sound like a daunting career path, but it really isn’t, DeRiso says. It’s about helping people chart a course to a desired outcome. Being a transactional tax attorney makes you the “coach,” drawing up plans as teams of attorneys deal with contractual issues. Then, there are opportunities to help clients untangle IRS-related civil and criminal matters. And there are even opportunities to serve charitable, tax-exempt organizations. From individual clients to corporations to charities, it’s about solving puzzles and finding solutions. If you’ve never considered tax law as a specialty, what you hear from DeRiso might surprise you. Get some tips on how to get started, whether you’re in law school now or are already practicing. Carneil Wilson served as the associate producer on this episode of Young Lawyer Rising. RESOURCES: United States Tax Court circuit schedule Have You Considered a Career in Tax Law? Do You Need Specialized Training to Practice Tax Law? The Advanced Degrees and Certifications That Help New Lawyers Move Their Careers Forward Tax Dispute Survival Guide American Bar Association Section of Taxation American Bar Association American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division
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    28 m
  • Going from Law School to the Air Force JAG Corps

    Going from Law School to the Air Force JAG Corps
    Nov 27 2023
    Professor Tony Ghiotto went from the battlefield to the classroom. He started his legal career in the Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps, and he explains how his career took him from Afghanistan to a law school classroom.  Saddled with student debt, and after an unexpected meeting with a JAG representative, Ghiotto found himself in the Air Force. Within his first two weeks as a full member of the JAG, he was in the courtroom trying a case.  There were pros and cons. Struggles included feeling overwhelmed and making mistakes early on, but the pros were getting a lot of courtroom experience in a hurry and learning on the job. From practicing law in a tent in Afghanistan to a boardroom in Washington, DC, “It made me grow up and gave me some direction,” Ghiotto says. Thanks to the JAG, he practiced in multiple fields. One of his oddest cases involved a low-flying jet causing a cow to give birth prematurely. His criminal cases ranged from traffic tickets to reviewing wartime procedures and civilian casualties. If you’ve ever considered starting a legal career in the military, this is a don’t-miss episode. (And, bonus, Ghiotto is open to mentoring any young lawyer considering a JAG career. Drop him a note).    Stephen C. Dinkel served as the associate producer on this episode of Young Lawyer Rising.   Resources: Why Should You Become a JAG Officer? Army JAG Careers Provide Financial Incentives for Those Interested in Foregoing the Traditional Path The Army Judge Advocate General’s Funded Legal Education Program American Bar Association American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps JAG School  University of Illinois College of Law
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    33 m