Outside In-House Counsel: Small Business Lawyer (replay)

Jonathan Merel runs a mid-sized family law firm built around high-conflict divorce. In this episode, he talks about the kinds of cases his firm takes on, how he sets strategy across a team of lawyers, and what shifted when he moved from full-time litigator to running the business. He also reflects on the emotional weight of family law, why it draws certain practitioners and burns out others, and how he separates emotion from legal judgment. We also hear from Kristina Lindsay, the firm's in-house divorce coach. With a background in domestic violence advocacy, she helps clients navigate trauma, safety, and conflict, operating under the firm's attorney-client privilege. Together, they show how legal strategy and emotional support can work side by side and shape the outcome of a case. Jonathan is a graduate of Chicago-Kent College of Law.This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.Mentioned in this episode:Learn more about Juno and private student loansAccess LawHub today!Learn more about Juno and private student loansLearn more about Haynes Boone LLP

Mark Purpura thought he might head to Wall Street but found his niche in law instead. Now a Delaware-based attorney, he works on the deals that keep the financial world moving, from forming trust companies to advising on complex transactions. In this episode, Mark breaks down why Delaware has become the center of corporate law, what it’s like to work on fast-moving, high-stakes deals, and how he built a practice that blends business and law. He also shares how his work goes beyond clients, with a hand in shaping state legislation and advancing LGBTQ+ rights. Mark is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.Mentioned in this episode:Access LawHub today!Learn more about Juno and private student loansLearn more about Juno and private student loansLearn more about Haynes Boone LLP

Judge Elizabeth Stong calls bankruptcy court a "second chance court," a forum where companies in financial distress and individuals buried in debt can find a path forward, even if it's rarely the one they hoped for. She serves on the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York, sitting in Brooklyn. Becoming a judge was never on Judge Stong's radar — she was a happy litigation partner with no bankruptcy background when a job announcement caught her eye. In this episode, Judge Stong describes managing more than 300 active Chapter 11 cases alongside individual filings, the rhythm of case management conferences, and how she works with law clerks to prepare for hundreds of orders each week. She unpacks the structure of Article I bankruptcy judgeships and the Second Circuit's appointment process, and reflects on the weight of decisions that shape whether a family keeps its home or thousands of employees keep their jobs. The Honorable Elizabeth Stong is a graduate of Harvard Law School. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.Mentioned in this episode:Learn more about Juno and private student loansAccess LawHub today!Learn more about Juno and private student loansHaynes Boone LLPLearn more about Haynes Boone LLP

As an international student graduating from a U.S. law school, Jimmy Lai struggled to find employers willing to sponsor him. Rather than leave the U.S., he chose to build something from scratch. In this episode, Jimmy talks about how his visa barriers pushed him to co-found an immigration law firm. Jimmy reflects on failing the bar exam three times before passing, navigating the financial and legal risks of starting a firm, and learning to think like a business owner rather than a lawyer. He also talks about doing all of this as a self-described introvert — someone who once avoided grocery store aisles to dodge small talk — and how he forced himself into networking and sales before eventually delegating those roles to more extroverted team members. Jimmy is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Law.This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.Mentioned in this episode:Learn more about Haynes Boone LLPAccess LawHub today!Learn more about Juno and private student loansLearn more about Juno and private student loans

Deepan Patel explains his role at the IRS. While the IRS has many types of lawyers, he focuses on business taxpayer guidance, which ensures certainty for businesses making major decisions. He describes how he got into tax, where his career might go, and trade-offs between government and private practice. Deepan is a graduate of Florida State University College of Law.This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.Mentioned in this episode:Access LawHub today!Learn more about Juno and private student loansHaynes Boone LLPLearn more about Haynes Boone LLPLearn more about Juno and private student loans

Michelle Hanlon spent 25 years as a cross-border M&A lawyer before earning an LLM in space law and reinventing her practice around an environment that nobody quite controls but many want to. Space law is barely developed, but much of the daily work looks like any other industry: contracts, regulatory compliance, and drafting provisions that account for risks nobody else is thinking about yet. Michelle holds a permanent observer seat at the UN committee where international space law is written, and in this episode she breaks down the craft of persuading legislators and diplomats, why industries often write the standards Congress later codifies, and how deep subject-matter fluency reshapes even conventional legal work. Michelle Hanlon is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center.This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.Mentioned in this episode:Access LawHub today!Learn more about Juno and private student loansLearn more about Haynes Boone LLPLearn more about Juno and private student loans

Yuliya Flynn is a partner at a small business law firm where she acts as concierge legal counsel for small and mid-size companies — handling the kind and breadth of work an in-house lawyer would, but for multiple clients at once. In this episode, she walks through what that role looks like day to day, from drafting employment agreements and reviewing leases to fielding emergency calls about severance. Yuliya explains how she audits new clients for compliance gaps, why she treats compliance as preventative medicine, and how those gaps can tank a purchase when it's time to sell. She also digs into the complexity of structuring employee compensation and retention plans, where equity participation sounds simple but quickly intersects with succession planning and corporate governance. Yuliya Flynn is a graduate of Kostanay State University in Kazakhstan and also earned her Master of Laws from American University with a specialization in International Business and Trade Law.This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek.Mentioned in this episode:Learn more about Haynes Boone LLPLearn more about Juno and private student loansAccess LawHub today!Learn more about Juno and private student loans

Evan Banker didn't plan to become a ski lawyer, but a chance opportunity led him to a niche practice handling collisions on the slopes. He explains how skiing accidents become legal cases, from right-of-way rules and Colorado's Skier Safety Act to evidence like witness accounts, video footage, GPS tracking data, and damage patterns on the skis themselves. Evan discusses why injured skiers hesitate to pursue claims and how personal injury lawyers navigate the profession's stigma. He also talks about leveling the playing field against deep pockets with his firms contingency fee model. The conversation also offers a behind-the-scenes look at small firm life and succession planning. Evan is a graduate of the University of Denver College of Law.This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.Mentioned in this episode:Learn more about Boston University School of LawLearn more about Seton HallAccess LawHub today!Learn more about Haynes Boone LLPLearn more about Blueprint

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.Mentioned in this episode:Access LawHub today!Learn more about BlueprintLearn more about Haynes Boone LLPLearn more about Boston University School of LawLearn more about Seton Hall

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.Mentioned in this episode:Access LawHub today!Learn more about BlueprintLearn more about Boston University School of LawLearn more about Seton HallLearn more about Haynes Boone LLP