Are you a young lawyer wondering how to snag that dream role? Host Montana Funk welcomes Gianne Falvo Mangiro, a top legal recruiter at LHH and a former practicing attorney, to demystify the world of legal recruitment. Gianne pulls back the curtain on how recruiters work, why they're not just for senior lawyers, and how they can seriously fast-track your job search. We'll cover everything from accessing hidden opportunities to nailing your salary negotiation and understanding the full compensati...
Jun 19, 2025•29 min
Tristian Shannon took an unexpected route to the legal profession, trading the world of real estate for the courtroom. He joins us to discuss that journey, revealing the challenges that propelled him toward law and the entrepreneurial spirit that led him to build his own firm. Beyond the traditional legal landscape, Tristian is a proponent of modern connection, explaining how social media can humanize lawyers and build trust with clients in a way that outdated models often miss. He also touches ...
May 22, 2025•37 min
Bill Bay, President of the American Bar Association, joins Montana to discuss the role the ABA plays in supporting lawyers, promoting justice, and advocating for the rule of law. Regardless of where you are in your career, the ABA offers not only a wealth of material for you to improve your practice and serve your clients better, but also an opportunity to get involved, get inspired, and effectuate a broader impact as part of something bigger than yourself. Discover the ways the ABA can help you...
Apr 24, 2025•32 min
As young lawyers, you’re motivated to impress, to seem like the smartest person on the team. But no one person can know enough to succeed entirely on their own. We rely on the assistance and expertise of those around us, building a community of trusted allies who can help ensure we’re capable of fully serving our clients’ interests. Expert witnesses are one such invaluable resource in many avenues of legal practice. In this episode, host Montana Funk sits down with Dr. Chris Spaeth, an expert fo...
Mar 20, 2025•30 min
Financial expert Melissa Cecchine joins host Montana Funk to discuss the essentials of conscious financial management. Melissa shares insights into overcoming financial fears and building smart wealth strategies. Whether you're a young lawyer just starting your financial journey or you’re just looking to improve your approach to your finances, Melissa's practical advice on managing money, understanding your financial personality, and creating a conscious spending plan will help you achieve lasti...
Feb 20, 2025•33 min
Being a lawyer is a tough job. We’ve all heard the term “burnout”, maybe we even see it as just “something that happens occasionally” given our jobs, but most of us aren’t familiar with what all this stress is really doing to our bodies. Montana is joined by Dr. Skattum to discuss the impacts of adrenal fatigue, burnout, and stress on the body, particularly for high-performing individuals like attorneys. They discuss practical strategies for managing stress, recognizing the signs of burnout, and...
Jan 23, 2025•41 min
Stacey Scrivani discusses the concept of mentorship in the legal profession, exploring what it means to be a mentor or mentee, and how these relationships can be mutually beneficial with Montana Funk. Stacey shares her insights on the various forms mentorship can take, from formal programs to informal peer support, and emphasizes the importance of a give-and-take dynamic. Whether you're seeking a mentor, aspiring to be one, or just eager to make the most of your mentor-mentee relationships, Stac...
Dec 19, 2024•29 min
Stefania Lessen joins host Montana Funk to share her journey from law school to a successful legal career, emphasizing the importance of networking at every stage. From leveraging local bar associations to utilizing social media platforms like LinkedIn, Stefania offers practical advice and personal anecdotes to help law students and new attorneys build and maintain a strong professional network. Additional Resources: Authentic Networking Is the Key to a Successful Legal Career How New Lawyers Ca...
Nov 21, 2024•34 min
Learn how to exceed expectations and thrive as a new lawyer from a panel of seasoned attorneys who are open and honest about what it takes to make partner, navigate your career, and excel in the legal field. Special thanks to our friends over at Litigation Radio, ABA's Section of Litigation and Podcast Host Dave Scriven-Young for sharing this special episode with us. For more conversations with top litigators, judges, and experts, subscribe to Litigation Radio on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . ----...
Oct 24, 2024•34 min
Everybody wants your data, from companies to hackers to governments. Guest Lexi Lutz is senior corporate counsel, and privacy watchdog, at Nordstrom. She advises the company on the legal implications of AI, cybersecurity, privacy, and data protection. As computers get smarter and capabilities expand, it’s more important than ever to maintain legal guardrails and understand potential pitfalls. Lutz starts with keeping up with the slew of developing state privacy laws and international regulations...
Sep 19, 2024•52 min
One challenge young lawyers encounter—especially in demanding corporate roles—is starting a family while advancing in their careers. Managing and balancing work and family isn’t something they teach in school. Guest Kimberly “Kim” Maney is a busy, successful in-house corporate attorney for a global corporation. She’s also a mom and a spouse who taught herself how to balance 10-hour days and constant demands from her job while carving out time for family. Raising a family is hard work, everything...
Aug 22, 2024•31 min
Guest Nancy Maurice shares her unique background as she followed her curiosity and leaned on her courage to explore several countries throughout her education—ultimately landing a position as an associate with a New York-area law firm. Maurice is a native of France, where she learned English while growing up. She crossed the English Channel and earned her first law degree in England, a LL.B. Next, Maurice returned to Paris to obtain more degrees in law. Afterward, she moved to Louisiana, where s...
Jul 25, 2024•41 min
Guest Mary Smith is an accomplished attorney and the first Native American woman to become president of the American Bar Association. In addition to a distinguished career in legal leadership for billion-dollar organizations, including CEO of the national organization Indian Health Services, she is also active in many civic organizations, including the Caroline and Ora Smith Foundation, dedicated to helping young Native American women forge careers in STEM fields. Smith’s career took a long and ...
Jun 20, 2024•28 min
As a new lawyer, have you ever considered a career in government oversight? It’s a broad, important field that ensures a wide range of agencies work as designed while protecting public funds and interests. Guest Lucy Lang is a former prosecutor now serving as the New York Inspector General. She is charged with overseeing investigations into corruption, fraud, and abuse in the New York State government (more than 100 agencies) and has been a steady advocate of criminal justice reform. Lang shares...
May 23, 2024•32 min
Environmental law is a dynamic field that evolves rapidly with new challenges as they emerge but also against the backdrop of the politics of state and federal administrations. Regulatory focus shifts from administration to administration and crisis to crisis, creating a challenging area of law for those who practice it. Our guest, David Mandelbaum, is a shareholder with the firm of Greenberg Traurig and has practiced environmental law since 1984. He’s seen a lot, from focusing on solid waste la...
Apr 25, 2024•34 min
Guest Evita Nwosu-Sylvester focuses on the civil rights and fair lending needs of middle- to low-income earners in their quest for affordable housing. She works in multifamily fair lending operations at Freddie Mac (the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.). But Nwosu-Sylvester is also a fighter for rights, fair hiring needs, and workplace accommodation for those embracing disabilities. Nwosu-Sylvester followed a nontraditional path to her legal career. She earned her undergraduate degree in psychol...
Mar 21, 2024•30 min
Guest Michael Kippins is a Boston-based civil rights attorney with Lawyers For Civil Rights. Driven by a desire to advocate for those too often left without robust representation, Kippins made the courageous jump from a big law setting to his civil rights practice and hasn’t looked back. In one of his high-profile cases, Kippins is challenging what the suit describes as Harvard University’s system of admission bias toward “legacy” students and the harm that practice poses to communities, includi...
Feb 22, 2024•34 min
Happy New Year, and what a year that was. Host Montana Funk sits down with Tamara Nash, chair of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, to review 2023 and share stories from listeners about the past year. For listeners, it was a year of lessons learned. Learning how to separate work and life is difficult, but in one case, a young lawyer reported that an unexpected health issue forced her to learn what life’s about and that it’s OK to ask for help. Hear how she learned that being a ...
Jan 25, 2024•31 min
It’s been said there are only two things in life that are certain: death and taxes. Guest Anthony DeRiso can help with one of them. He’s a tax attorney. It may sound like a daunting career path, but it really isn’t, DeRiso says. It’s about helping people chart a course to a desired outcome. Being a transactional tax attorney makes you the “coach,” drawing up plans as teams of attorneys deal with contractual issues. Then, there are opportunities to help clients untangle IRS-related civil and crim...
Dec 21, 2023•24 min
Professor Tony Ghiotto went from the battlefield to the classroom. He started his legal career in the Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps, and he explains how his career took him from Afghanistan to a law school classroom. Saddled with student debt, and after an unexpected meeting with a JAG representative, Ghiotto found himself in the Air Force. Within his first two weeks as a full member of the JAG, he was in the courtroom trying a case. There were pros and cons. Struggles included feeling ...
Nov 27, 2023•30 min
Is practicing law all dusting off established precedents and applying old case law? No way. Guest Jessica Gonzalez shares how she broke free, followed her passions, and found herself a pioneer in the wildly evolving arena of cannabis law. Gonzalez started in the usual practice of law for a firm after graduating. Contracts, paperwork, and a less-than-satisfying experience. Then, she started looking at the emerging field of cannabis law. Trademark protections, navigating vague state regulations, l...
Oct 20, 2023•34 min
Host Montana Funk (herself a Canadian living and working in the United States) talks with immigration lawyer Stephanie Baez about the many facets of immigration law—a field that has been in the public eye a lot recently. Immigration law covers an array of niches, including employment and business immigration, student visas, and removal defense—fighting for desperate clients against deportation. Cases range from emotional courtroom litigation to overcoming mountains of paperwork. The field can be...
Sep 21, 2023•26 min
Guest Alexandra Graves tells her story, and it’s unreal. Bad things happen to good people. She was experiencing headaches and vision issues as a 2L and discovered she had a brain tumor. She needed neurosurgery and had to withdraw from classes. Then she started over. If you hit obstacles, and you will, you can overcome them. Life can throw you for a loop. You can fight back. You are not alone. Graves’ story is an inspiring tale of pursuing dreams, no matter what. She took a step back and went bac...
Aug 24, 2023•48 min
If you’re getting started, or thinking about getting started, trying criminal trials, this episode is a gold mine. Learn from one of the most noted and experienced trial attorneys out there, guest Paul Mark Sandler, a longtime attorney, author, and lecturer. This is an opportunity to hear from one of the best. Lessons on ethics and insider courtroom tips. Learn about your relationship with the jury, the judge, and opposing counsel. How to question witnesses. How to prepare. You didn’t learn this...
Jul 20, 2023•41 min
Mental health, wellness, and managing burnout made headlines during and after the pandemic. But what did we learn? Guest Richard Rivera, a highly successful partner at a Florida law firm, knows we should. Many of us work too much and too hard and push beyond reasonable limits. Rivera knows firsthand. He was a fourth-year associate in a litigation focused firm, and he said yes to everything. Any new case, any new project, he was game. It was a matter of professional pride and rapid development. T...
Jun 22, 2023•37 min
From the depths of addiction to helping attorneys overcome their own, lawyer and author Brian Cuban joins the show to share his personal journey, as well as shed light on the often overlooked issue of substance abuse within the legal community. Drawing from his own struggles, Brian highlights the unique pressures, stressors, and challenges which can commonly lead lawyers down the path of addiction. He also offers valuable advice to attorneys and law school students who find themselves grappling ...
May 25, 2023•39 min
As legal professionals, many lawyers make a good income but struggle to build wealth or achieve financial stability. In this episode, we are joined by Rho Thomas, a lawyer turned financial coach and host of the Wealthyesque podcast. Rho shares her expertise and strategies for how lawyers can master their money to achieve financial independence and freedom in their lives. Learn common mistakes that lawyers make when it comes to managing their finances, as well as actionable tips and resources to ...
Apr 20, 2023•29 min
For young lawyers looking to start and build their career, there are several key factors to consider. From finding an area of law that interests you, to seeking out opportunities to gain experience, build your network, and grow professionally, the start of your legal career can be challenging. In this episode of Young Lawyer Rising, special guest Tracy Lesetar-Smith joins the show to discuss ways young lawyers can build momentum in their careers, hone their legal skills, take risks, and explore ...
Mar 23, 2023•44 min
In this special episode of Young Lawyer Rising, host Montana Funk is joined by law firm owner and adjunct professor, Karen Lapekas, to discuss the ins and outs of pro bono work. The two cover a wide range of topics, including: What is Pro Bono? Why Does it Matter? When to Take a Case? How to Get Involved? Pro Bono Burnout, Benefits of Pro Bono Work, and Common Misconceptions. Don't miss this great episode! By Karen Lapekas 5 (Good) Reasons Not to Do Pro Bono Work Additional Resources Stepping Up...
Feb 16, 2023•24 min
You want to help people, and you want to use the law to do it. More and more, public interest law has become a popular career path for young lawyers. But how do you become a public interest lawyer? And what steps can you take to stand out in pursuing a public service legal career? To help answer these questions, Civil Rights Attorney, Public Policy Expert and Author, Portia Allen-Kyle joins the podcast to share tips and advice for young lawyers interested in public interest lawyering. In this ep...
Jan 19, 2023•36 min
