Camilla Lopez, co-founder of access to justice legal tech company People Clerk, joins host MC Sungaila to share her journey to becoming a lawyer-entrepreneur who helps individuals navigate small claims court. She discusses what's involved in running a successful start-up, from funding the company's growth (People Clerk is a Techstars alum backed by Google's Latino Founders Fund) to finding the right mentors and listening to customer feedback in expanding and growing their services.

Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea discusses the important role played by state courts and the surprising turns her own career has taken. She explains how the Court pivoted in order to continue to provide access to justice during the pandemic, the role of the Chief Justice and Supreme Court in administering the state's court system, and important tips on briefwriting and oral argument. Listen in as an accomplished member of the judiciary offers valuable career advice and an important civics lesson.

Host MC Sungaila talks with Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Justice Elspeth Cypher who shares her journey to the bench, from civil practice to chief of the appellate division in the district attorney's office. Listen in as she shares both valuable tips you can use in court and inspiring wisdom for aspiring women lawyers and law students.

Joining MC Sungaila today is Jessica Aronoff, CEO of Cayton Children's Museum. Jessica entered law school with no intention of becoming a lawyer. Her goal? Doing impactful work in a nonprofit. As it turns out, having a law degree was indeed a valuable tool and asset for her work in the field. In this episode, Jessica shares her evolution in the nonprofit space, from Executive Director of teen dating violence organization Break the Cycle to Vice President of Philanthropy for The Wonderful Company. Jessica's career path demonstrates the different ways you can apply your law degree. Tune in to hear from an inspiring and visionary leader.

Justice Melissa Hart of the Colorado Supreme Court shares her journey from U.S. Supreme Court clerk to U.S. Department of Justice trial attorney, law professor, and now member of her state's highest court. With host MC Sungaila, she explains her intuitive approach to career decisions, the long-term impact of mentoring on her career trajectory, and best practices in appellate advocacy.

Yolanda V. Torres of the Orange County Superior Court shares her journey from being the first in her family to graduate from college to serving on the bench. With host MC Sungaila, she shares how her diverse experience as both a law professor and family law attorney, and as a past president of the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association serves her well as a judge. Listen in to hear her inspiring journey.

U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Margaret McKeown, the first woman partner at Perkins Coie and a White House Fellow, shares her career journey from lawyer to judge, and provides insights into the crafting of a judicial opinion and good legal writing. With host MC Sungaila, she also discusses her book Citizen Justice: The Environmental Legacy of William O. Douglas―Public Advocate and Conservation Champion. Judge McKeown tells the inspiration behind writing it and which skills in writing judicial opinions translated into her work as a book author. There's a lot to learn from this episode. Be inspired by her journey by tuning in.

Noella A. Sudbury is the Founder and CEO of Rasa Public Benefit Corporation, a new legal tech company on a mission to make the process of clearing a record simple and affordable for everyone. In this episode, she talks with MC Sungaila about her career journey—from attending law school, going to the public defender's office, working in Utah's leading appellate law boutique, transitioning to Goldman Sachs to gain management and team building experience, then moving to government policy work which led her to found Rasa. Noella's journey is an unconventional one. Tune in to hear insights from a singular intellect on the rise.

A career in the legal field is all about taking a life-long journey of learning and expanding your horizons. This episode's guest greatly knows this to be true, having been through various corners in the field, both in and outside the academic setting. MC Sungaila interviews Dean Nancy Staudt. She is the Frank and Marcia Carlucci Dean of the Pardee RAND Graduate School and Vice President of Innovation at the RAND Corporation. She is also a nationally recognized scholar in tax, tax policy, and empirical legal studies. Here, Dean Nancy Staudt takes us across her journey–from the formative clerkship experience to the challenges she faced in her deanship. She then offers some great advice on taking on a leadership role, highlighting the importance of taking care of oneself as well as having that willingness to learn as you figure out the next step in your career. So don't miss out on this conversation, and allow Dean Nancy Staudt's wisdom to guide you in this journey.

Pathbreaking Hawaii Supreme Court Justice Sabrina Shizue McKenna sits down with host M.C. Sungaila to discuss how perseverance, confidence in your skills, humility, and persistence can help you achieve new heights. Listen in as Justice McKenna discusses her journey from Japan to Hawaii, playing college athletics and getting a scholarship as a result of Title IX, and joining the bench after a distinguished law firm and inhouse counsel career.

Judge Julia Smith Gibbons of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit shares how the relationships she formed throughout her career paved the way for her to become the first woman trial judge of a court of record in Tennessee, followed by distinguished service on both the U.S. District Court and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. She is the recipient of the Devitt Award, the highest honor awarded to an Article III judge, for significant contributions to the administration of justice, the advancement of the rule of law, and improvement of society as a whole. Listen in as Judge Gibbons shares insights gained throughout her trailblazing career.

Recently retired Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor shares how she became the first woman to lead the state judiciary and her contribution to the judicial system. Maureen O'Connor is the tenth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio, a Cleveland-Marshall School of Law graduate, and a member of the Cleveland-Marshall Hall of Fame. She became the longest-serving statewide elected woman in Ohio history. She shares her journey to becoming the first woman to lead the state judicial branch of government and how she led significant reforms and improvements in the Ohio judicial system.

Host MC Sungaila sits down with retired Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Karen M. Ashby to discuss her trailblazing career as the first Black woman to be appointed to that court. Judge Ashby shares valuable insights from her experiences as a public defender, trial court judge, and appellate judge. She describes how her path has paved the way for others, and how judges' diverse experiences contribute to decision making.

Paloma Ahmadi, Associate General Counsel, Employment, at Brex, talks about her journey from in-house, to law firm practice, and back in-house. Paloma is a phenomenal client advisor, with an interesting mix of career experiences, who provides great insight into navigating a legal career.

Litigation is a complex arena of law. Trial lawyers often need a mentor to guide them on their way. In this episode, MC Sungaila talks about litigation and teaching future lawyers with Caryn Geraghty Jorgensen. She specializes in complex litigation matters and believes in the ability of people to frame paths to resolution when conflicts arise. We discuss trials, litigation, and mentoring the next generation. Tune in for more great insights from women in the corridors of the law.

Judge Jacqueline Nguyen talks with host M.C. Sungaila about her experience as a refugee during the Vietnam War and her journey to becoming a judge, from private law practice to serving as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Central District of California. Before her confirmation to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Judge Nguyen was also the first Asian American woman to serve as a district judge on the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

The law is often seen as impartial but cold. One way that practitioners are bridging the gap between the law and people is through empathy and understanding. In this episode, MC Sungaila discusses human interaction and the law with Kim Hardeman. She is a Partner at Lederer Weston Craig PLC, and made her mark in civil litigation. She traces her career and helps us understand why the human touch is important in law and why women are assets on any legal team. Want to know more about women in the field of law? Then this episode is for you.

Listen to Chief Justice Rogers as she shares her journey from the trial bench to appellate advocacy. Chase T. Rogers was Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court and chair of the firm's Appellate Practice group. Learn from her experiences as a trial judge and how they helped her as an advocate. She was able to hear what the holes are from both perspectives. Also, discover why building the right team is important. You need to be able to be around people who have different perspectives from yours. Diversity in your bench matters. If you want to make your way into the bench or as an advocate, listen to this episode now!

Ann K. Covington shares her trailblazing journey as the first woman on the Missouri Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, and ultimately as the first female Chief Justice in the state. She shares her journey to the bench and work in private practice both before and after her service on the bench, and her role as mentor to many women lawyers. Listen in to hear the wisdom this gracious and humble woman has to share.

Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Dana Kuehn, the first woman to serve on both of the state's high courts (the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals and Supreme Court), sits down with host MC Sungaila to discuss her career trajectory, including her path to the bench, and shares insights on effective advocacy, appellate briefwriting, and moving from the role of trial lawyer to service on both the trial court and appellate bench.