Laurie Earl

Want to take your client service to the next level? Our in-house counsel guests share their golden rules for outside counsel, including active listening, concise communication, and strategic partnership. These tips will help you build stronger relationships and deliver exceptional value to your corporate clients. Listen now and subscribe to The Portia Project for more inspiring stories from women leaders in law and business.

In this episode, we explore the transformative experience of law school clinics and their pivotal role in shaping the careers of aspiring lawyers. Today, we have the privilege of hearing from three exceptional graduates of Loyola Law School of Los Angeles' Ninth Circuit Clinic: Tina Kuang, Sydney Wong, and Molly Okamura. Under the guidance of our host, M.C. Sungaila, these talented alumni share their remarkable journeys, where they, along with their law school teammates, took on the challenge of briefing, arguing, and ultimately prevailing in immigration appeals before the esteemed Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Their stories exemplify how participation in law school clinics can sharpen legal skills, nurture professional growth, and accelerate careers in the legal arena.

This compilation episode features some of our guests who focus on Space Law - in academia, private practice, and government. Michelle Hanlon, Caryn Schenewerk, Franceska Schroeder, Ruth Pritchard-Kelly, and Bailey Reichelt share their paths to the law and the growing field of Space Law specifically.

In this reprise episode, M.C. Sungaila interviews an esteemed panel of female legal tech founders: Nicole Clark of Trellis Research, Inc., Dorna Moini of Gavel (formerly Documate), and Jacqueline Schafer of Clearbrief. They discuss their respective businesses and the pain points that pushed them to move from law into the legal tech space. This standout trio is working on ways to use emerging tech to accelerate court processes, and impact access to justice. Tune in for practical tips and insights from the ones paving the way in the tech industry, where female founders still face significant barriers.  Note: Trellis and ClearBrief are founding sponsors of this podcast. 

In this special episode of The Portia Project podcast, we shine a light on the journeys of our nonprofit leader guests and how they transitioned from law school to leadership roles. Tune in and be empowered to forge your own path and succeed.

In this compilation episode, we feature the journey and advice of some of our guests who are thriving in BigLaw -- leading firms, practices, offices, and trial and deal teams. Hear from Barb Dawson, Hillary Holmes, Paula Hinton, Cindy Chang, Robin Crowther, and Anne-Marie Seibel.

This summer, we focus on legal careers, and the wisdom our guests have shared about their own professional paths. We start with the in-house counsel role.Ever wondered what drives successful in-house counsel? This episode dives into the journeys of prominent general counsels, revealing their motivations, challenges, and the secrets to their success. Learn what it takes to navigate the unique landscape of in-house legal work. Discover how these leaders rose to the top of their profession. Gain valuable advice you can apply to your own career path, whether you're considering an in-house role or aiming for the top. Tune in and gain valuable insights for your own career journey.

Law student and Founder of the American Space Law Foundation, Elizabeth Sanchez Chang, joins podcast host M.C. Sungaila from the sidelines of the Foundation's first national space law moot court competition in Washington, D.C., to talk about growing the next generation of space lawyers, the future of American space law, and being a social entrepreneur. The Portia Project was a proud sponsor of the competition.

In this reprise episode, 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.

Laurie Earl, Administrative Presiding Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Third District, joins the podcast in a reprise episode to share her career journey from the public defender and district attorney's offices to Presiding Judge of the Sacramento Superior Court and now Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal. She describes how mentors nudged her along the way and provides insights into judicial decision making and effective advocacy in the trial and appellate courts.