I Am The Law

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Poisoned Goods: Suing to Clean Up Consumer Products Mar 18, 2026

Show notes

Vineet Dubey is an environmental litigator in California who sues companies selling consumer products tainted with toxic chemicals. His primary legal vehicle is California's Proposition 65, a ballot-initiative statute requiring companies to either warn consumers about chemical exposure or remove offending products from shelves. In this episode, Vineet explains how cases come to him through environmental testing groups, how toxicologists help establish whether a violation exists, and why he pushes companies to reformulate products rather than simply slap on a warning label. He also walks through his case against Gerber over lead in baby food, the realities of contingency work against corporate giants, and what it takes to learn hard science as a political science major. Vineet Dubey is a graduate of UCLA Law.

This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.

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Outside In-House Counsel: Small Business Lawyer (replay) Mar 11, 2026

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Philip Selio, a solo practitioner, helps small businesses and entrepreneurs with their corporate law needs. He discusses managing all aspects of a solo shop -- and how it helps him better serve his clients who face similar challenges. Philip discusses client relationships, research processes, and social media as a tool to further build his client roster. He also shares how he thinks about his firm's potential growth. Philip is a 2019 graduate of California Western School of Law.

This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.

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Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law

Public Defender to Private Practice: Criminal Defense From Scratch Mar 04, 2026

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Devin Morse is a criminal defense attorney in Alaska, specializing in the state's most serious charges. In this episode, Devin explains the distinction between factual and legal guilt, her intensive intake process, and why she deliberately delays hearing a client's version of events. She also discusses what it means to review a "phone dump" — an entire digital life — and how that shapes the attorney-client relationship. After a decade as a public defender, Devin and two colleagues spent a year plotting the launch of their own firm. She walks through the realities of billing, compensation conversations, and what it feels like to know a family sold their home to fund the defense. Devin Morse is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law.

This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.

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The Therapist Who Left Law: Treating Perfectionism in Lawyers Feb 11, 2026

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Doron Gold spent roughly a decade practicing law before realizing the profession was slowly crushing him. In this episode, Doron shares the experiences that led him to leave law for good. Doron discusses his transition to therapy and his current practice helping lawyers navigate burnout, perfectionism, and career dissatisfaction. Drawing on his own experience, Doron highlights how perfectionism, external validation, and misaligned values can undermine personal and career satisfaction. He also reflects on professional boundaries he learned as a family lawyer — maintaining objectivity while caring deeply — and how those skills transferred to therapy. Doron is a graduate of the York University Osgoode Hall Law School (JD) and the University of Windsor (Master of Social Work).

This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.

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Scientist to Regulatory Lawyer: Getting Medical Devices to Market Feb 04, 2026

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What does it take to bring medical devices to the market? It’s a question lawyer Randy Prebula thinks about every day. Randy is a partner at a global law firm who specializes in the regulatory world of medical devices and technology. In this episode, he shares how he transitioned from a more than 20-year career as a scientist into the world of law and how that informs his legal work. He breaks down FDA’s emergency use authorization, what qualifies as a device versus a drug, how products navigate FDA approval pathways, and why risk-benefit analysis drives every FDA decision. He also reflects on what it was like working in this field during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to bring one of the first at home COVID-19 tests to market. Randy is a graduate of the Catholic University of America.

This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.

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Early Career Clarity: From Immigration to Financial Litigation (replay) Jan 28, 2026

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Nathania Reyes litigates commercial disputes on behalf of financial services organizations like banks. Nathania recounts her journey from uncertain law student to finding her place in civil litigation. She describes her diverse experiences, including immigration and in-house internships, a judicial clerkship, and her transition to private practice. She emphasizes the importance of work-life balance at her current firm, how the Hispanic Bar Association has shaped her career to date, and how she's expanding her expertise in various commercial litigation areas. Nathania touches on networking and business development, highlighting the value of persistence in the face of rejection. Nathania is a 2017 graduate of Rutgers University School of Law.

This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.

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How Lawyers Are Using AI and Where They Draw the Line Jan 14, 2026

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Artificial intelligence has arrived in the legal profession. In this special episode, Kyle and Katya examine AI's growing role in the world of law from criminal defense to M&A and much in between. Over the past few months, they've asked every guest a simple bonus question: How has AI affected your practice?

The answers offer a window into a profession in transition—curious, conflicted, and actively determining AI's proper role in law. Practitioners share how AI streamlines document review and accelerates research, while candidly discussing serious limitations and risks. This highlights how lawyers are still learning to navigate the technology.

Feature voices:

Eric Bernheim, Episode 120, Behind the Lease: Supporting Restaurant Expansion Through Real Estate Law
Alexis Taitel, Episode 121, From Clerkship to Private Practice: Research, Writing, and Challenging Assumptions
Venetia Mayhew, Episode 122, Second Chances: Rewriting Life Through Clemency
Joe Stephens, Episode 126, Trial by Algorithm: Helping Lawyers Navigate the AI Revolution
Asha Sharma, Episode 127, Administrative Hearings and Human Stories: Social Security Disability on the Frontlines
Audi Syarief, Episode 129, Trading in Gray Areas: How Sanctions Shape International Business
Rachel Frank, Episode 131, Understanding the Appeal: Supreme Litigation from First Draft to Oral Argument
Elise Bennett, Episode 133, Cool Little Dudes and Legal Battles: Environmental Protection from the Courtroom to the Community
Molly Henry, Episode 137, Navigating International Waters: Arresting Ships and Managing Crises on the Seas
Michael Kohagen, Episode 139, At the Center of the Transaction: Coordinating Business Deals from Start to Finish

This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee and Katya Valasek.

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At the Center of the Transaction: Coordinating Business Deals from Start to Finish Jan 07, 2026

Show notes

Michael Kohagen structures mergers and acquisitions for clients across the deal spectrum, from family businesses selling for $5 million to headline-grabbing deals. He explains how smaller deals offer closer client relationships—often working directly with owners who lack M&A experience but know their business intimately. Michael walks through the deal process from confidentiality agreements and letters of intent through due diligence and purchase agreements, emphasizing his role coordinating specialists while drafting core transaction documents. He discusses how AI is beginning to change document review, why most M&A deals fail (time drag and initial misalignment), and how his central role creates both pressure and satisfaction. Michael is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Law.

This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.

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