Alternative Dispute Resolution

Mia Getlin, a 2014 graduate of Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, specializes the state-legal cannabis industry in Oregon and Washington. She shares insights into the challenges and complexities of navigating the highly-regulated cannabis sector, emphasizing the importance of trust-building with clients coming from diverse backgrounds, including those transitioning from the illicit market. Mia highlights the role of advocacy in shaping industry regulations, issue spotting for compliance, and maintaining a supportive, problem-solving approach as a transactional attorney focused on finding solutions for her clients' needs. Throughout the conversation, she provides valuable perspectives on the legal intricacies and evolving dynamics of the cannabis business, from licensing to corporate structuring, offering a unique window into her role as a dedicated advocate for her clients in this rapidly changing field.

David Lieberman, a 2008 graduate of Columbia Law School, represents whistleblowers who provide information to the federal government about their employer's fraud against the government. He discusses workings of whistleblower cases under the False Claims Act, a Civil War era law that's newly under attack as unconstitutional. David discusses whistleblower motivations, how he counsels them about the risk of coming forward, and the intricate journey from filing a case under seal to working collaboratively with the Department of Justice to potential settlements of $100 million or more.

Chukwukpee Nzegwu, a graduate of the University of Maryland, is a junior associate practicing commercial litigation at a large, general practice law firm. While he didn't go to law school to do commercial lit, he's found it both exciting and challenging. He explains that his decision was influenced by the opportunity to gain trial experience and be involved in oral advocacy. Chukwukpee discusses his work as a problem solver for clients involved in lawsuits and highlights the complexity of commercial litigation. He shares his experiences working on cases from the beginning to the end, including drafting motions, researching statute of limitations arguments, and participating in appeals.

After a long career in litigation, Diane Sorenson, a graduate of the University of Kansas, is transitioning to arbitration and mediation, also known as alternative dispute resolution or ADR. She discusses the differences and similarities between litigation, arbitration, and mediation. For ADR, experience is paramount not only for getting cases to resolve but also figuring out how to actually resolve them.

Ilya Lerma, a graduate of the University of Arizona, runs a small solo practice where she takes on insurance companies in complicated brain injury cases. She discusses the difficulty of running a contingency-fee practice, litigating as a woman of color, and how she manages the stress of being a lawyer.

Matt Parker, a graduate of Boston College Law School, represents management in employment disputes. While he rarely finds himself in court, he often participates in adversarial proceedings like arbitration and administration hearings. In this episode, we'll hear about how he prepares for proceedings. We'll also learn about the finer details of employment litigation, such as burden shifting, different fee models, and venue shopping.

Vail Gardner, a graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, served the Middle District of North Carolina for six years as a law clerk. In this episode, she describes the various types of federal law clerks, including each position's pros and cons. Vail was a pro se clerk, which means she worked directly for the district court as opposed to an individual judge. We'll hear about her role in drafting the court's opinions, as well as her current challenge: reentering law practice after taking time off for her family.

Gabriel Cheong, a graduate of Northeastern Law School, is the owner of a small family law firm in Boston. In this episode, Gabriel explains how his use of technology and fixed fees maximizes time spent on his clients' legal dilemmas. He mixes traditional litigation with mediation, conciliation, and guardian ad litem. With this kind of work, Gabriel experiences emotional ups and downs. Yet he observes that they’re two sides of the same coin. After all, his job is to help clients whose lives are being torn apart.