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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Is practicing law all dusting off established precedents and applying old case law? No way. Guest Jessica Gonzalez shares how she broke free, followed her passions, and found herself a pioneer in the wildly evolving arena of cannabis law. Gonzalez started in the usual practice of law for a firm after graduating. Contracts, paperwork, and a less-than-satisfying experience. Then, she started looking at the emerging field of cannabis law. Trademark protections, navigating vague state...

Host Montana Funk (herself a Canadian living and working in the United States) talks with immigration lawyer Stephanie Baez about the many facets of immigration law—a field that has been in the public eye a lot recently. Immigration law covers an array of niches, including employment and business immigration, student visas, and removal defense—fighting for desperate clients against deportation. Cases range from emotional courtroom litigation to overcoming mountains of paperwork. The field can...

Guest Alexandra Graves tells her story, and it’s unreal. Bad things happen to good people. She was experiencing headaches and vision issues as a 2L and discovered she had a brain tumor. She needed neurosurgery and had to withdraw from classes. Then she started over.   If you hit obstacles, and you will, you can overcome them. Life can throw you for a loop. You can fight back. You are not alone.   Graves’ story is an inspiring tale of pursuing dreams, no matter what. She took a step back and...

If you’re getting started, or thinking about getting started, trying criminal trials, this episode is a gold mine. Learn from one of the most noted and experienced trial attorneys out there, guest Paul Mark Sandler, a longtime attorney, author, and lecturer.  This is an opportunity to hear from one of the best. Lessons on ethics and insider courtroom tips. Learn about your relationship with the jury, the judge, and opposing counsel. How to question witnesses. How to prepare. You didn’t learn...

Mental health, wellness, and managing burnout made headlines during and after the pandemic. But what did we learn? Guest Richard Rivera, a highly successful partner at a Florida law firm, knows we should. Many of us work too much and too hard and push beyond reasonable limits. Rivera knows firsthand. He was a fourth-year associate in a litigation focused firm, and he said yes to everything. Any new case, any new project, he was game. It was a matter of professional pride and rapid...

From the depths of addiction to helping attorneys overcome their own, lawyer and author Brian Cuban joins the show to share his personal journey, as well as shed light on the often overlooked issue of substance abuse within the legal community. Drawing from his own struggles, Brian highlights the unique pressures, stressors, and challenges which can commonly lead lawyers down the path of addiction. He also offers valuable advice to attorneys and law school students who find themselves...

As legal professionals, many lawyers make a good income but struggle to build wealth or achieve financial stability. In this episode, we are joined by Rho Thomas, a lawyer turned financial coach and host of the Wealthyesque podcast. Rho shares her expertise and strategies for how lawyers can master their money to achieve financial independence and freedom in their lives. Learn common mistakes that lawyers make when it comes to managing their finances, as well as actionable tips and resources...

For young lawyers looking to start and build their career, there are several key factors to consider. From finding an area of law that interests you, to seeking out opportunities to gain experience, build your network, and grow professionally, the start of your legal career can be challenging.  In this episode of Young Lawyer Rising, special guest Tracy Lesetar-Smith joins the show to discuss ways young lawyers can build momentum in their careers, hone their legal skills, take risks, and...

In this special episode of Young Lawyer Rising, host Montana Funk is joined by law firm owner and adjunct professor, Karen Lapekas, to discuss the ins and outs of pro bono work. The two cover a wide range of topics, including: What is Pro Bono? Why Does it Matter? When to Take a Case? How to Get Involved? Pro Bono Burnout, Benefits of Pro Bono Work, and Common Misconceptions. Don't miss this great episode!

You want to help people, and you want to use the law to do it. More and more, public interest law has become a popular career path for young lawyers. But how do you become a public interest lawyer? And what steps can you take to stand out in pursuing a public service legal career?  To help answer these questions, Civil Rights Attorney, Public Policy Expert and Author, Portia Allen-Kyle joins the podcast to share tips and advice for young lawyers interested in public interest lawyering. In...

The demanding hours and stressful work environments of the legal industry can often have detrimental effects on lawyers and legal professionals. Mental health issues among lawyers are notoriously prevalent, as are suicide, substance abuse and addiction.  So, what exactly attributes to the severe stress, high burnout rates and mental health concerns among lawyers? And, why does mental health matter for the legal profession? To talk about all of this , attorney and mental health expert, Joe...

Launching your legal career after law school is exciting, energizing, and—let’s face it—discombobulating. And no matter how long you’ve been practicing, there's always something new to learn. In this episode of the 'Young Lawyers Rising' podcast, host Montana Funk is joined by litigation attorney, Erin Rhinehart to discuss: Ways to standout in the workplace as a junior associate How to successfully jump start your legal career How to balance expectations after coming out of law school and...

Women in the criminal justice system continue to face a number of different challenges and career barriers; especially as it relates to hiring, retention, and promotion. So, why are women lawyers underrepresented in criminal justice? Why do so many women leave the practice of criminal law? And, what can we do about it? Joining the podcast to discuss these issues is law professor and author, Maryam Ahranjani. Maryam Ahranjani is an experienced law professor at the University of New Mexico...

Are you a fresh grad about to start working as a lawyer, or a relatively junior lawyer still figuring things out? The road to becoming a lawyer certainly isn’t an easy one; and the shift from studying law to actually practicing law can seem a bit intimidating.  In this episode of Young Lawyer Rising, guest and litigation attorney Dave Scriven-Young shares top tips for starting your legal career off on the right foot, as well as some common mistakes young lawyers make early on. Get...

How can the legal profession be more supportive of law students and lawyers with disabilities? In a profession already marked by the hypercompetitive pursuit of performance and achievement, young lawyers often face pressure to downplay their disabilities. In addition, access to accommodations for law students and lawyers with disabilities can be difficult, adding a lot of stress to an already stressful process.  In this special episode, host Sonia Russo sits down with three different lawyers...

On average, everything you are buying today costs 7% more than it did a year ago. In this show of the Young Lawyer Rising Podcast, financial speaker-writer-consultant Eric Rosenberg joins host Mathew Kerbis to discuss the effects of rising inflation and how best to beat these effects through good investment decisions and mitigated risk. Learn how to fine tune your portfolio to offset inflation and weather whatever the markets throw at you! Special thanks to our sponsor, The Velvet Hammer.

Sonia Russo is joined by Shawn Hoover (a first chair trial attorney with the Georgia Capital Public Defenders), Anthony Santos (a deputy district attorney in Jefferson County, Colorado), and U.S. Army Major Earl Wilson (the chief of military justice at the first cavalry division at Fort Hood, Texas). Together, they deep dive into the criminal justice system from the perspective of lawyers of color. Special thanks to our sponsor, The Velvet Hammer.

Sonia Russo is joined by Shawn Hoover (a first chair trial attorney with the Georgia Capital Public Defenders), Anthony Santos (a deputy district attorney in Jefferson County, Colorado), and U.S. Army Major Earl Wilson (the chief of military justice at the first cavalry division at Fort Hood, Texas). Together, they deep dive into the criminal justice system from the perspective of lawyers of color.