Derek Tokaz

Ryan Evans, a graduate of Boston University School of Law, discusses his work as an in-house franchise and general business lawyer for Qdoba. He discusses his experience on both sides of the franchise relationship. He worked first as a lawyer for a company that franchises several different concepts (a franchisee) and then as a lawyer for a company that sells access to its systems (a franchisor). His work involves many different elements, from HR and commercial leases to negotiations and document preparation.

Jon Holscher, a graduate of Drake Law School, prosecutes crime for a county in Iowa. While the facts differ among cases, they must all add up to the elements of a crime to get a conviction.

Dan Minc, a graduate of Seton Hall School of Law, discusses how he managed to rise to his firm's managing partner after starting there as a first-year lawyer. He also talks about how he builds his book of business and what he assesses when determining whether to take a client. After all, as a personal injury lawyer he's only paid if his client wins.

Royce Bicklein, a graduate of St. Mary University's School of Law, discusses his firm's practice and what's involved in proving where an injury occurred and what's to blame for the extent of an injury. Unlike almost every other state, Texas employers choose to opt in to the workers' compensation process. As such, Royce's firm handles workers' compensation and traditional personal injury.

Alexis Farmer, a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law, is a tax lawyer for low-income individuals at a pro bono legal services clinic and frequently finds herself talking to the IRS on behalf of her clients. Often her clients have had their identities stolen, so Alexis knows connecting to them on a deeper level can foster trust and lead to better outcomes. 

Cristina Perez Hesano, a graduate of Arizona State University, helps individuals struggling with debt to file for bankruptcy. In this episode, she he takes us through a Chapter 7 bankruptcy from prep to discharge, and why she decided to leave her first bankruptcy firm job to go out on her own.

Ryan Morrison, a 2013 graduate of New York Law School, created a firm centered on helping video game developers. His work greatly varies depending on what his clients need, but often involves intellectual property and contracts. In this episode, Ryan shares his biggest challenges and how he built a rare practice from a pro bono matter. 

Holly Carnell, a graduate of Loyola University Chicago, describes her challenge of getting a biglaw job after graduating from a regional law school. She spends a lot of time helping healthcare providers draft contracts, properly engage employees, and remain in compliance with the many applicable laws. While the job may have been difficult to get, excelling at it has more to do with doing quality work, managing junior associates, and exercising good judgment than where she went to school.

Laurie Landsittel, a graduate of the University of Georgia Law, gives us valuable insight into the day-to-day duties of public defenders. Laurie shares some of her personal experiences, such as her biggest challenges representing defendants who committed serious crimes, as well as the time when she helped a teenage girl get out of jail and back on her feet.