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Latest episodes from Khurram's Quorum

034: Jamie Nawaday on disrupting drinking, storytelling, and entrepreneurship for practicing lawyers

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 73:42


Jamie Nawaday is Head of Seward & Kissel's Government Enforcement and Internal Investigations Practice and the founder of Disrupting Drinking, where she speaks on personal change and cultural change to disrupt the corporate cocktail culture. Jamie has the unique insight that drinking isn't just about wellness - it reflects how the legal profession handles stress, bonding, and belonging. We explore how storytelling and authenticity are not side skill, they're core to both legal persuasion and personal transformation. That change doesn't have to come from quitting your job and going all in - you can start a courageous conversation from within. 

033: Vishal Shah on moving to the other side of the v. as a plaintiffs employment lawyer, case selection and strategy, and the business of a law firm

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 87:37


Vishal Shah is the founder of Shah Litigation, a high-stake employment litigation firm. This is a unique opportunity to examine the strategy and values a biglaw associate used to launch and grow a successful law firm. We talk about the decision to switch to the other side of the v., how he researched the opportunity to identify his niche, his approach to a national trial practice, the unique dynamics of the plaintiffs' bar, and business development strategy.(01:30) - from small-town Alabama to big-city biglaw (15:35) - how personal tragedies and a desire for control over Vishal's career motivated his move to launch his own firm (19:05) - key insights from successful law firm founders (21:31) - how Vishal leverages his network, LinkedIn, and relationship-building for client development (33:21) - case selection philosophy (38:46) - litigation approach and pre-trial blueprint (01:04:49) - the impact of the unique collegiality of the plaintiff's bar (01:19:39) - advice for rising biglaw associates

032: Pratik Shah on the market for appellate litigation, the power of networks, and how to choose a practice group for growth

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2025 109:47


Pratik Shah is the Practice Head of Akin's Supreme Court and appellate practice. Pratik breaks down his achievements and shares the values and principles he used to challenge himself and create opportunities. This conversation explores three underdiscussed topics, the market for appellate litigation, the business of appellate litigation, and the seismic shift in appellate practice in the past couple decades. We also explore  how to make decisions about the kind of practice to join and build. 

031: Tim Yoo on what lawyers can learn from pro-wrestling, applied mathematics, and tennis

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 100:43


Tim Yoo is a partner at Bird Marella and probably one of the few lawyers who can reference both the second fundamental theorem of calculus and The Undertaker. This free-ranging conversation explores how lawyers can use basic concepts from applied mathematics for decision principles and strategy. We also cover what lawyers can learn about storytelling and character development from professional wrestling. 

030: Lora Krsulich on fear as fuel as a first-gen lawyer, approaching work with high-trust, and tuning into your strengths

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2024 91:12


Lora Krsulich is an associate at Goodwin and a rising star. After clerking in the Central District of California and the Ninth Circuit, Lora litigated at Susman Godfrey before joining Goodwin. She shares her story of finding her voice and confidence in law as a first-gen lawyer, and the values she's followed as she's pursued success and excellence. (00:58) - - “Covered in Masking Tape”: Lora's father's pride in his work and how it influenced her. (08:01) - - “Fear as Fuel”: Facing debt and fear in her first year of law school, then finding her footing with other first-gen lawyers (12:32) - - Clerkships: the transformative experience of clerking for two federal judges. (22:06) - - Role of Advocacy: Always advocating subtly, even in procedural moments. (38:16) - - Parenting and Litigation: How becoming a mom reshaped her work habits and time management. (49:46) - - Lora reflects on how her experience of being "swindled" as a first-generation student seeking financial aid information led her to be more open to asking for help and building trust-based relationships. (01:07:18) - - “Knowing When a Witness Needs a Bathroom Break”: How her deposition skills reflect her ability to connect. (01:09:11) - - “I Wanted to Be Trusted”: Laura's early courtroom experiences at Susman Godfrey. (01:18:06) - - Transition to Goodwin: Why she joined Goodwin and her focus on IP litigation. (01:25:00) - - “Inverting Weakness into Strength”: Turning her non-technical background into an asset in IP cases. (01:26:47) - - Being Strategic and Ambitious: Embracing those traits to focus her career path.

029: Sonal Mehta on making decisions in the face of uncertainty, evaluating opportunity costs, and listening to your gut

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 91:35


This episode with Sonal Mehta is a masterclass on decision-making. We explore her early rise to partner and the path that led her to the management committee at WilmerHale by walking through the tradeoffs and opportunities she identified at each step. We also explore the role intuition plays in legal analysis. And we discuss Sonal's journey through challenging parts of her practice and what's led to her success. Sonal is remarkably down-to-earth for her accomplishments, so this was a fun interview. 

028: Silpa Maruri on creativity, self-advocacy, and how to launch a law firm

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2024 66:54


Silpa Maruri graduated from law school in 2011, but she's already been partner at renowned trial firm Quinn Emanuel and is now founding partner at Elsberg Baker Maruri, an elite commercial litigation firm. How did she do it? In this episode, we discuss the techniques and principles Silpa used to practice creativity and self-advocacy. Launching a new firm can seem daunting, but Silpa breaks down some of the key components and the path that got her here. 

027: Samuel Levine on the prestige trap, changing the law while in law school, and why every lawyer should learn how the law works for poor people

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2024 94:52


Listening to this episode, you can't miss Samuel Levine's passion for consumer protection. It would be a mistake to look at his remarkable ascent from Harvard Law School to become Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the FTC as a strategic arc to power. Samuel's story illustrates why lawyers should get their hands dirty and find work you're passionate about.I've largely advocated for a more strategic approach to career, and Samuel's approach is a nice counterbalance. I enjoyed this conversation, I hope you will to. 

026: Heather Stevenson on moving from law to business and back, learning new skills quickly, and negotiating contracts for bananas

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2024 69:57


Heather Stevenson went from litigator at Sullivan & Cromwell to running a juice bar, then returned to law as a transactional lawyer at the Boston Globe where she rose to Deputy General Counsel, then became General Counsel at Red Cell Partners, an incubation firm. I've been influenced in more ways than one by Heather's adventurous career, and I admire her first-principles approach to thinking about what's important in career. 

025: Kalpana Srinivasan on hip-hop dancing, making career gut decisions, and business development strategy

Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2024 117:28


Kalpana is known as one of the top trial lawyers in the country. She's also co-chair of one of the leading trial firms in the country, Susman Godfrey. That's a rare combination. I took this opportunity to explore themes in Kalpana's career and professional decisions, there's a ton of great principles covered in this conversation.  In this episode, we talk hip-hop dancing, the role of gut decisions in career, how she approaches business development, and more. (00:00) - why Kalpana practices hip hop dancing (10:27) - the role gut decisions have played in her career (15:27) - how to benefit from gut decisions (18:57) - how should lawyers think about joining a growing office (26:47) - what Kalpana is willing to sacrifice for success (31:27) - how Kalpana allocates her time and effort to new cases (36:17) - how the firm gets new ideas (45:07) - a firm Kalpana admires (51:57) - how a trial practice helps with running a firm and vice versa (01:00:47) - how Kalpana balances the history of the firm and its future (01:04:47) - the most impactful tip she picked up in her training (01:12:07) - how Kalpana litigates differently from Steve Susman (01:13:47) - Kalpana's favorite phase of litigation (01:22:27) - my take on Kalpana's superpower (01:26:17) - how Kalpana approaches business development (01:36:37) - “show, don't tell” (01:40:27) - what Kalpana is most excited about in her career (01:45:37) - why she believes in doing both plaintiff and defense work (01:50:47) - Kalpana's advice for lawyers

024: Ryan McCarl on highbrow and lowbrow influences in legal writing and the book publishing journey

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2024 47:13


Ryan McCarl is a founding partner at Rushing McCarl LLP and author of Elegant Legal Writing. I was intrigued by the practicality and the eclectic range of influences Ryan draws on for this latest contribution to the pantheon of legal writing books. Ryan pulls ideas from disciplines like graphic design and marketing and from authors in nonfiction and fiction alike. The result is clear guidance on how to write to be helpful, enjoyable, and original.

023: Moez Kaba on boldness, the art of cross-examination, and a career-changing subway conversation

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2024 90:14


Moez Kaba is the managing partner of Hueston Hennigan, the elite trial firm. Moez's father drove a cab, and now Moez is one of the most sought-after trial lawyers in the country, and he's only 42. We spent a lot of time exploring Moez's approach to trial and the role serendipity and boldness played in guiding his path through law. (00:45) - how he joined his firm based on a conversation on the subway (09:51) - how boldness can help first-gen lawyers get a seat at the table (19:45) - what's special about cross-examination (22:07) - what's the trial moment he keeps revisiting (31:03) - trying cases the Hueston Hennigan way (33:01) - what's a principle from everyday life that impact your practice (34:50) - how Moez found his voice at trial (41:00) - why the best trial teams are like an orchestra (48:01) - how to respond to events out of your control (59:24) - how has Moez related to ambition over time (01:01:19) - what drove Moez to go to law school (01:14:15) - Moez react to headlines about him (01:25:15) - who would play Moez in a biopic

022: Nimesh Gupta on therapy, moving from biglaw to bigtech to startups, and generative AI in law

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2023 109:13


Nimesh Gupta is the founder of Briefly, a legaltech generative AI company. I met Nimesh through a mutual friend, and we hit it off - our patent litigation background, views on parenting, therapy, and entrepreneurship. We take Nimesh's unconventional moves from biglaw to big tech to startups and dig into the decisions. We explored how to assess risk and opportunities in new technologies and businesses, including legaltech and generative AI. Along the way we explore how mindfulness and authenticity provided a north star for career decisions.Disclosure: I'm an advisor to Briefly. 

021: Neel Chatterjee on moving fast and breaking things, counterintuitive career decisions, and ChatterjeePT

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2023 112:08


Neel Chatterjee is a partner at Goodwin. Neel is fascinating because on one hand he's a trial lawyer that handles serious high-stakes tech disputes, and on the other hand he's the kind of guy who has “partner and very handsome man” written on his firm business card.  We spend some time going deep on these aspects of Neel, where they came from, and how they converge. (31:40) - a counterintuitive decision career (00:00) - Chapter 2 (36:00) - a pattern in his career (00:00) - Chapter 4 (38:30) - his rule of thumb of building a book of clients (00:00) - Chapter 6 (42:30) - how Neel gets things done (00:00) - Chapter 8 (45:40) - how Neel manages peers (00:00) - Chapter 10 (49:00) - the inflection point to rainmaking (00:00) - Chapter 12 (01:01:30) - how do you think about risk and diversification in your career (00:00) - Chapter 14 (01:05:30) - is Neel a salesperson? (00:00) - Chapter 16 (01:06:50) - Neel's superpower (00:00) - Chapter 18 (01:10:40) - how Neel crafts trial strategy (00:00) - Chapter 20 (01:17:30) - how Neel balances all the work (00:00) - Chapter 22 (01:31:50) - why aren't there more people experimenting with outsized marketing? (00:00) - Chapter 24 (01:36:10) - does Neel feel like he's arrived? (00:00) - Chapter 26 (01:46:20) - where Neel's practice is heading (00:00) - Chapter 28 (01:49:40) - how should lawyers figure out where to direct their career (00:00) - Chapter 30 (01:51:30) - ChatterjeeGPT

020: Paul Grewal on asymmetric bets, conspiracy theories, and the best question for career decisions

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2023 113:30


Paul Grewal is the Chief Legal Officer at Coinbase. As the highly visible head lawyer at a company perennially making headlines, much of Paul's story and approach is well-known. This interview explores the lesser-known aspects of Paul's career moves: how Paul thinks about risk, the key question to ask in making a career change, and a conspiracy theory he can't shake. (09:12) - the financial and emotional changes in leaving practice for the bench (15:30) - the most challenging part of being a judge (22:10) - the most skillful advocacy he observed (48:27) - what made Coinbase an asymmetric bet (01:07:12) - how can more lawyers take risks (01:15:32) - what's a decision he made that he wasn't sure he got right (01:20:02) - what's a conspiracy theory Paul believes in (01:26:20) - why Paul is so active on social media (01:36:40) - what Paul's learned about storytelling (01:39:48) - the number one question to ask to make career decisions (01:41:55) - what his peers would say Paul is particularly good at

019: Alamdar Hamdani on "the Mama Rule", entrepreneurial civil service, and the most underrated risk in the US

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2023 108:56


Alamdar Hamdani is the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, one of the most important jurisdictions in the country. What I love about his story is that it's the classic  American story of how the son of poor immigrants in small-town Texas became the US attorney for one of the most important jurisdictions in the country. But I discovered another equally American part of this story I hadn't heard elsewhere - the story of the entrepreneurial civil service that led him to where he is today. (16:00) - the decision that changed his career (19:00) - how selling Sesame Street books led to the decision that changed his career (39:30) - how the South Asian bar led Alamdar to the US Attorney's Office. (42:30) - the shocking story of how Alamdar accepted his role as Assistant US Attorney (47:00) - what role does taking big risks in your career (58:00) - the lawyers Alamdar met early in his career (01:11:30) - the “Mama rule” (01:27:30) - what's the most underrated risk the US faces (01:32:30) - what are national trends in enforcement

018: Gurbir Grewal on nonlinear career paths, how government should use media, and identifying enforcement priorities

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2022 94:45


Gurbir Grewal's meteoric ascent to the Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement may seem charmed, but here Gurbir shares the tradeoffs and costs of the steps he took. Gurbir is uniquely down-to-earth for someone so public and prominent, and this interview went deep into the decisions and experiences that shaped his path.

017: Amandeep Sidhu on turning tragedy into opportunity at The Sikh Coalition, creating consensus and finding allies, and building a portfolio of causes

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2021 91:05


It's inspiring to hear the origin of The Sikh Coalition in the aftermath of 9/11 and the disproportional impact on the Sikh community. But it's all the more remarkable to hear how Winston & Strawn partner Amandeep Sidhu and his cofounders built an organization around consensus-building causes that benefit multiple communities. And how Amandeep did it by getting stakeholders at his law firm to support him along the way. This episode is for anyone looking to make a social impact and learn how to develop thoughtful responses to the inevitable crises and opportunities.

016: Avaneesh Marwaha on carrying out the goals he wrote on a legal pad at 25, the #1 skill lawyers need to develop now, and what betting on yourself feels like

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2021 98:49


As the CEO of Litera, Avaneesh Marwaha is responsible for setting the pace of innovation at a leading legaltech company. So when Avaneesh shared some of the goals he set for himself at 25 that he's still carrying out at 40, I had to dig in to learn more. A company like Litera has a powerful lens on the legal industry and where it's headed. So we spent a lot of time talking about core insights like what makes clients stick with law firms. We also discuss the three areas Avaneesh sees opportunities for lawyers to move into legaltech, and the #1 skill lawyers need to develop now to advance their practice. This conversation is for anyone interested in learning what it feels like to bet on yourself and to move into a growing frontier.

015: Kenneth Anand on writing the book on sneaker law, the returns to focusing on individuality, and lessons learned from Kanye

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2021 78:45


When I was introduced to Kenneth Anand, I was equal parts excited and anxious. I'm no more than a casual fan of Kanye's work and I've never been into streetwear. But how could I say no to meeting the ex-GC of Yeezy? Kenneth and I ended up having a sprawling conversation about his new book Sneaker Law and how it departs from traditional legal casebooks. We talked about his journey from producing hip hop to law and how after 15 years of practicing law he oriented himself back to his roots in streetwear. We talked about how the methods and culture around sneakers and streetwear is moving into other industries. And we talked about lessons learned from Kanye himself.

014: Manik Suri on the alpha of inner confidence, the law clinic origin of his cold chain technology company, and renewable sources of internal energy

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2021 52:11


It's hard to picture a better time to grow a cold chain technology company like Therma, and it's even harder to picture the legal clinic origins of the business. Manik Suri has made a career out of synthesizing surprising insights and finding talent to partner with. In this episode we discuss what Manik learned from a friend that ended up as a presidential candidate on how to channel your inner confidence. You'll learn a new question to ask yourself "what kind of energy am I burning?" And we talk about how to manage downside risk by getting over the fear of failure.

013: Judge Matthew Kennelly on how he manages his docket, how new ideas spread among judges, and the interesting implications of lifetime tenure

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2021 116:14


Federal judges are fascinating because they resolve high stakes matters addressing a wide swath of issues touching on every aspect of society. And because of their limited resources and the 30-some new cases they get a month in a busy court like the Northern District of Illinois, they have to become experts at building systems for making decisions. So I'm happy that I got to spend two hours with Judge Matthew Kennelly to learn about what he does. We explored the tools he's developed for helping bring disputes to resolution in the 22 years he's been on the bench. We talked about some of the interesting implications of lifetime tenure, how he's changed how he manages his docket, new ideas and how they spread among judges, what's difficult about sentencing, and the tradeoffs between standardization and individual attention on cases. Judges are used to people laughing at their jokes, but Judge Kennelly is actually funny (although I won't repeat that he's a "pillar of our community" because apparently he's heard that enough times). I hope you'll enjoy this rare in-depth conversation.

012: Chief Judge James Holderman on lessons from growing up on a farm, the hardest task he had on the bench, and how he'd change federal litigation

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2021 65:01


I'm thrilled to share this interview Chief Judge James Holderman (ret.) formerly of the Northern District and now a mediator at JAMS ADR. Externing for Judge Holderman in law school was an inflection point in my legal development, and I feel like I've been riding that wave ever since. It's rare to get a chance to sit with a federal judge and explore lessons from 30 years on the bench. We talked about his upbringing on a farm in Southern Illinois and some of the surprising legacy that's had on his judicial career. We discussed how he wielded authority from the bench, and the hardest task he faced on the bench. Judge Holderman shared some of his prescriptions for improving how federal litigation is conducted.

011: Archit Shah on creating legal solutions for Robinhood, misconceptions about fintech, and yes Gamestop

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2021 63:42


When Archit and I planned to do this episode in the new year, we didn't quite expect this much attention on Robinhood. We explore Archit's arc from the first lawyer at Robinhood to general counsel. We talked about the lessons learned from building a team of dozens of lawyers, and how he approached the novel legal and regulatory issues along the way. We covered the regulatory landscape for fintech companies, reasons to be bullish on crypto, and yes, we talked about Gamestop.

010: Megha Parekh on how strengths can become weaknesses, why perfectionism isn't the goal, and being unapologetically yourself

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 48:49


I didn't expect to interview someone at another Florida sports franchise so soon, but I'm glad I had a chance to talk to Megha Parekh, Chief Legal Officer of the Jacksonville Jaguars. One of the most interesting themes from the conversation was around work-life integration and the systems she's used to foster it in herself and others. There were insights into the relation of remote work and inclusivity, and lessons on the perils of perfectionism. This interview is for anyone interested in being unapologetically yourself and refusing to cut out the fun in your life.

009: Kunal Patel on the future of South Asian creatives, lessons from working with celebrity musicians, and how to ignore a title

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2021 60:09


Kunal Patel and I something less of a conversation and more of a jam session. We explored his career as a creative and a lawyer to creatives and the multi-year grit it took to land the roles he took on. I don't know how many lawyers once drove for Uber or took a paralegal role to get a foot in the door at the right company. We also explored his ambitions for South Asian creatives and why representation in media really matters. One quote from Kunal has stayed with me: "there can't be a first unless there's a second and a third and a fourth." This interview was a first.

008: Bilal Zaidi on the benefits of concentrating your forces, insights from interviewing top creators, and a revelatory glass of pomegranate juice in Lahore

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2021 71:15


Bilal Zaidi is the host of one of my favorite podcasts, Creator Lab. We explored the genesis of his podcast and the connections it drew between his influences from Pakistani, the UK, and the US. We dove into some of the patterns Bilal has discerned from interviewing CEOs, investors, and writers. We also compared experiences growing up Pakistani in the UK and the US and some of the surprising differences.

007: Ashwin Krishnan on the future of sports as entertainment, bootstrapping his role as general counsel, and reflections on Miami's past and future

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2021 60:02


You probably know more about baseball than me, but I'm glad I had a chance to learn a little about the business of the game with Ashwin Krishnan, General Counsel of the Miami Marlins. As soon as you start talking with him, you can tell he's built differently than other attorneys - there's no jargon and he's high-energy. It was fascinating to hear about how the Marlins is thinking about its place in entertainment as it competes not just with other franchises but Disney, gambling, and even Netflix. For those contemplating a move to Miami, Ashwin has the perfect pitch. And for those who want to forge their own career, Ashwin's example is inspiring.

006: Sachin Shivaram on how Atlas Shrugged led him to steel, the advantages of being an outsider, and what's special about Wisconsin

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2020 52:03


Sachin Shivaram is CEO of Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry Co. I was fascinated with Sachin's journey that started with every credential imaginable and led him to running an aluminum foundry in Manitowoc, WI. We talked about the surprising revelation he had from reading Atlas Shrugged that led him to the steel industry, a panic moment when hosting Joe Biden, and what's special about Wisconsin.

005: Avanti Bakane on how to collect people, how to find allies, and why should you never stress over good intentions

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2020 43:02


Avanti Bakane is a partner at Gordon Rees. I've known Avanti for some years now, and I've been consistently impressed with her ability to collect and connect people. I sat down with Avanti to discuss her people-driven approach to her career and what she's learned about building allies and how to manage by playing to your team's strengths. Avanti is just easy to talk to and I admire how even-keeled she is for a big-firm lawyer.

004: Rudhir Krishtel on finding true autonomy, book learning vs. experiential changes, and how a pair of red Jordans changed his life

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2020 48:37


Rudhir Kristhel is the founder of Krishtel Coaching and a former attorney. We started the conversation talking about how his beard helped me strike out on his own and ended it with Rudhir's three-part framework for how to think about growing relationships. The theme of this conversation is how to tune in to yourself to be a better player in the game of career and life.

003: Vivek Jayaram on building for creatives, diversity of thought in practice, and getting clients on Craigslist

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2020 70:48


Vivek is founder of Jayaram Law. He went from biglaw to opening his own firm in the depth of a recession, which now has three offices and is growing. We talked about how much of his growth has come from a core insight around aligning the legal work to clientele and firm culture. That lead to some interesting conversation about how to think about diversity and why contemporary culture matters for lawyers.

002: Vineet Shahani on politics as VC, career home runs v. singles, and the benefits of taking a pay cut

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2020 71:52


Vineet and I talked about:picking the right narrative for your careercareer home runs v. singlespolitics as venture capital how to make losses as useful as winsthe benefits of taking a pay cut

001: Adam Gill on trading Chinese microcaps for fun and profit, creating opportunities by publishing, and how to get in the flow

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2020 41:55


Learn more about Adam at https://www.glscap.com/our-team/Learn more about Khurram at https://www.naik.co. 

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