I Am The Law

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Elevating Businesses to New Highs: Corporate Cannabis Practice (replay) Dec 03, 2025

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Mia Getlin specializes in 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. Mia is a 2014 graduate of Pepperdine Caruso School of Law.

This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.

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From Crime Scene to Courtroom: Justice Through a Gang Prosecutor's Lens Nov 19, 2025

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Shannon Struble has spent more than a decade prosecuting gang-related crimes in a county with a lot of violent gang activity. In this episode, she takes us inside the day-to-day life of a prosecutor. Shannon walks through the fast-paced charging process — where prosecutors have just 48 hours to review evidence and decide whether to file charges — negotiating pleas, and navigating the courtroom. She reflects on the vicarious trauma of watching crimes unfold on body cam footage, responding to homicide scenes at 2 a.m., and finding moments of reward when rehabilitation succeeds. Shannon also explores what justice really looks like and the role prosecutors can play in supporting rehabilitation, not just punishment. Shannon is a graduate of Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor School of Law.

This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.

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When Families Fight: Financial Elder Abuse, Conservatorships, and Estate Litigation Nov 12, 2025

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Families don’t call Matt Talbot when things are going well. They call when grief, money, and long-simmering tensions rise to the surface. He helps clients navigate conservatorships, financial elder abuse, and complex estate litigation. In this episode, Matt discusses the emotional weight of handling kidnapping cases across state lines, the challenge of proving financial abuse when the victim can no longer speak for themselves, and how the Britney Spears case fundamentally changed California conservatorship law. He candidly shares how repeated exposure to family disasters has made him both emotionally hardened to client trauma and deeply committed to preserving his own family relationships. Matt reflects on the importance of getting evidence upfront, managing clients who want to "go nuclear" on family relationships, and why sometimes the best thing for a client isn't indulging their emotions. Matt Talbot is a graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.

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Cool Little Dudes and Legal Battles: Environmental Protection from the Courtroom to the Community Nov 05, 2025

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If you ask environmental protection lawyer Elise Bennett who her clients are, she might joke that some days it’s the frosted flatwood salamander, the gopher tortoise, or Florida panther – but officially, it’s the Center for Biological Diversity. Elise is the Center's Florida and Caribbean Director, leading efforts to protect endangered species and wild places through legal action and advocacy. When developers threaten wetlands or forests, Elise steps in to defend the creatures who can’t speak for themselves.

In this episode, she dives into the Endangered Species Act and explains how it safeguards even the smallest living creatures. Elise talks about choosing law as a means to protect the environment she loves, why some cases can stretch on for more than a decade, and what it takes to stay hopeful in the face of ongoing destruction. From the spring pygmy sunfish to the Florida Keys mole skink, her work shows how the law – and persistence – can buy endangered species a fighting chance. Elise is a graduate of Stetson University College of Law.

This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.

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Family Matters: Dollars, Decisions, and Dealing with Divorce (replay) Oct 29, 2025

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Whitney Lallas is a family law attorney in Maine. She shares her journey into family law, influenced by her interest in psychology and math. The emotional and financial aspects of her work figure prominently into what she likes about her work, as well as what's challenging. She provides insights into handling prenuptial agreements, child-related matters, and dealing with hidden assets. Whitney also explains her eat-what-you-kill compensation structure and emphasizes the significance of maintaining work-life balance. Whitney is a 2019 graduate of the University of Maine School of Law.

This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.

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Understanding the Appeal: Supreme Litigation from First Draft to Oral Argument Oct 15, 2025

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Rachel Frank is a senior associate at Quinn Emanuel who focuses on appellate litigation. She discusses the journey from summer associate to working on cases before the Supreme Court. Rachel explains what appellate practice actually involves, from preparing partners for oral arguments through intensive moot courts to crafting persuasive appellate briefs. She discusses how she uses AI as a thinking partner, the value of her federal appellate clerkship, and how her work has evolved over time. Rachel reflects on some of her firm's cultural quirks and why they matter to her. She also candidly discusses managing work-life balance. Rachel is a graduate of Yale Law School.

This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.

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Navigating Chaos: Triumphs and Trials of a Public Defender (replay) Oct 08, 2025

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Matt Skinner is a public defender with passion. Criminal defense is high-stakes, sometimes chaotic work that can be extremely difficult, but Matt navigates the courts, clients, and his career with genuine sincerity and excitement. As a lawyer for those who are accused of felonies but cannot afford a lawyer, his love for underdogs fuels his advocacy. It was a profound experience in high school, however, that set him on this path. On a high school trip to the local jail, he ran into two of his friends--behind bars. Matt is a 2018 graduate of Seton Hall Law School.

This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.

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Trading in Gray Areas: How Sanctions Shape International Business Oct 01, 2025

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For the government, sanctions and export controls are foreign policy tools. For businesses, they are legal minefields. Audi Syarief is a senior associate who helps clients navigate this high-stakes world of regulatory puzzles and enforcement actions. In this episode, Audi explains how sanctions work, the outsized role of ambiguity in his practice, and his approach to managing risk across diverse client situations. He discusses the collaborative nature of working with deal teams, solving complex sanctions puzzles that can make or break deals, and how lawyers help keep clients compliant while enforcement agencies watch closely. From panicked calls about accidental violations to negotiating licenses with government regulators, Audi works at the intersection of law and foreign policy. Audi is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law.

This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.

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