The HLEP Podcast

Join us for a conversation on the exciting developments in the world of sports betting. Following a landmark 2018 Supreme Court ruling, betting platforms have rapidly expanded across the US, each offering users a unique experience. Ashwin Krishnan offers firsthand insight from the perspective of Betr, a company co-founded by influencer Jake Paul. We cover a wide range of topics including responsible gaming, partnerships in sports business, and how law students interested in sports and entertainment can set themselves up for success.

Tune into our last episode of our AI Ventures miniseries where we are joined by Rebecca Lynn, Co-Founder and General Partner of Canvas Ventures, renowned for pioneering investments in AI applications within Fintech and Healthtech. Rebecca, a distinguished investor who has graced the prestigious Midas list an impressive five times, invites you to explore her journey navigating the ever-evolving realm of venture capital. 

Listen today to discover firsthand what it takes to identify and nurture successful AI companies. Rebecca sheds light on the nuances of risk assessment, resilience in founders, and the critical factors that drive investment decisions. Gain unparalleled insights as Rebecca unveils the process behind investing in groundbreaking ventures like Casetext, offering invaluable perspectives on the legal tech landscape. 

Don't miss this opportunity to glean wisdom from a trailblazing investor! Join us and uncover the keys to thriving in the fast-paced world of AI-driven entrepreneurship.

Dive into the intersection of AI and law with our next episode in the miniseries, “AI Ventures: Navigating Legal Frontiers.” In this installment, we feature Pablo Arredondo, the founder of Casetext and currently the Vice President, CoCounsel at Thomson Reuters. Pablo shares his journey, beginning with how he identified a gap in the legal industry and the bold steps he undertook to address it. From his encounter with GPT-4 and the pivotal moments leading to the evolution of Casetext, to the transformative impact AI will have on the legal sector, discover the innovative ways you can prepare to harness the power of cutting-edge tools in legal tech.

This episode is essential listening whether you're a seasoned lawyer, a curious law student, or a budding entrepreneur. Tune in to explore the cutting edge of legal technology with us!

In this episode, we're thrilled to have Martin Gomez, a partner in Goodwin’s Technology and Life Sciences Business Unit. Marty is at the forefront of intellectual property matters and specializes in supporting technology and life sciences companies through the intricacies of new company formation, IP protection, fundraising, strategic transactions, and exits.

Join us as we explore the ever-evolving landscape of law and technology, and discover why AI is not a threat to legal jobs but an invaluable tool that lawyers should harness to shape the future of the profession. This is an episode you won't want to miss, especially if you're considering entering the legal tech space or simply intrigued by the transformative power of artificial intelligence.

Join us for the final episode of our Fashion and Beauty miniseries, where we are joined by Giselle Rivers, Partner at Cooley. Giselle offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the support and guidance she offers to emerging companies in the beauty and fashion space. Discover how Giselle has forged deep and meaningful relationships by working alongside innovative founders and gain valuable insights into the upcoming trends poised to transform the landscape of beauty and fashion in the future!

In this episode of our miniseries, we are joined by Cori Aleardi, the founding partner of Elevate Beauty, who brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the beauty industry. We delve into Cori's diverse career journey, exploring her initiatives in ventures backed by private equity and her navigation through this rapidly evolving, challenging market.

Join us as we unravel the complexities of investing in the beauty industry and examine the differing approaches to risk taken by investors and lawyers. With the advent of technology, globalization, and direct-to-consumer markets, Cori provides invaluable insights into regulatory trends and strategies for understanding the unique risks faced by investors and lawyers in the beauty industry.

On episode 26, the final episode of season 2, our new host, Grace Kim, sits down with the original host and founder of the podcast, Ben Ho. Starting as a Harvard Law student, Ben launched this project driven by his simple yet profound desire to shed light on legal practice areas and the trends within emerging industries. Together, they delve into his journey, discussing the challenges he faced, the lessons he learned, and the importance of pursuing one’s passions with intention. Make sure to listen through to the episode's end, as we reaffirm our dedication to exploring the legal aspects of emerging industries, giving listeners a sneak peek into what Season 3 has in store!

On episode 25, we speak to Jonah Perlin, the Georgetown Law School professor & host of the “How I Lawyer” podcast. We learn about Jonah’s story, his experiences running his podcast, and the major lessons learned from interviewing over 130 lawyers. Whether or not you’re a law student, a junior associate or a lawyer well into the heart of your career, this episode is definitely for you!

On episode 24, we speak to Cullen Speckhart, the chair of Cooley’s business restructuring & reorganization practice and partner in charge of its Washington, DC, office. Cullen gives us an introduction to the bankruptcy and restructuring process, an overview of what some companies are facing in this cycle, and some of the various scenarios players encounter as they consider their options when managing financial distress. If you’re interested in learning more about bankruptcy as a practice area, this episode is for you!

On episode 23, we speak to George John, a senior associate at Hogan Lovells LLP, about practicing space law. George gives us an introduction to what practicing space law looks like, some of the major regulatory frameworks that players need to be aware of, and the policy concerns arising at the frontiers of this exciting emerging industry. If you’ve always had an interest in space law but just didn’t know where to look to start exploring, this episode is for you!

On episode 22, we speak to Mike Lincoln, the vice chair of Cooley LLP. Mike discusses how venture-backed companies are navigating the present economic environment, how such companies are responding to its pressures across different stages of growth, and how this cycle compares to previous downturns. Mike also gives us excellent insight into what it takes to succeed as an emerging companies and venture capital lawyer. If you’re interested in practicing in this space and representing founders, this episode is for you!

On episode 21, we speak to Maneesha Mithal, a partner at Wilson Sonsini LLP, about practicing in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) space. Maneesha introduces us to the policy concerns emerging in this space, its relevant regulatory frameworks, and the types of legal issues lawyers help clients navigate in AI. Maneesha also tells us about her experience working as a government lawyer and how it compares to her work in private practice today. If you are interested in practicing in the artificial intelligence space, this episode is for you!

On episode 20, we kickoff our “Lawyering in a Recession” series with Morgan Beller, a General Partner at the venture capital firm, NFX, and Jordan Roberts, a partner at Fenwick & West. 

Morgan and Jordan discuss dealmaking in a recession from the venture investor’s point of view, how our current bear market has influenced deal terms and the evaluative process for venture investors, and how venture investors are approaching their portfolio companies. They also discuss how lawyers interested in the venture capital space can position themselves to make a potential pivot.

On episode 19, we kickoff our Introduction to Emerging Industries miniseries with Yael Perl & Kristin Seeger, partners at Orrick LLP, who introduce us to legal practice in the EnergyTech sector.

Yael & Kristin discuss what issues clients in this emerging industry face and how lawyers help clients navigate them. If you are interested in working in the Energytech, Climatetech, or Cleantech space, this episode is for you!

On episode 18, we speak to Jason Kent, the co-chair of Cooley’s Public Companies practice group. We pick up where we left off in season 1 and learn about public companies as they mature, years after the IPO event. Jason discusses what it’s like to advise such mature public companies, the types of legal issues mature public companies face as they encounter greater visibility in the public spotlight, and how lawyers help such clients navigate them. Jason also shares career advice for law students and junior associates interested in practicing in this space.

On episode 17, we speak to Justin Osofsky, the Chief Operating Officer of Instagram and Vice President of Content Operations at Meta.

We learn about Justin’s journey, from Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School, to his management consulting days at McKinsey, to joining Facebook in 2008, and eventually stepping into his executive leadership positions today at Instagram and Meta.

Justin discusses what it’s like to run a global tech company, the important leadership lessons he has learned over the years, how Instagram has evolved over time and the initiatives he’s most proud of, and finally the qualities he looks for in his legal advisors. This was such a great interview, packed with so many memorable stories and metaphors!

On episode 16, we speak to Kristi Jobson, the assistant dean and chief admissions officer of Harvard Law School. We learn about Kristi’s journey from law school to her experiences clerking in both state and federal courts, her transition into Biglaw, and her pivot to leading admissions at HLS. Kristi discusses what clerking is and how her clerking experiences aided her legal practice. Kristi also shares many things that will be of interest to law school applicants, including Harvard pulling out of the US News rankings, whether or not schools will go test-optional, how significant the LSAT is to your admissions chances, and what kind of personal statements make the best impressions.

On episode 15, we speak to Cece Xie, the content creator that many of you may be familiar with on Tiktok and youtube. We talk about Cece’s content, her recent book announcement, how she made her career pivot from biglaw to full-time content creator, and the experiences and motivations that inspire her work. Cece also shares a ton of insightful advice throughout this recording for law students and junior associates!

On episode 14, we speak to Mike Ghaffary, a General Partner at Canvas Ventures. Mike was also the co-founder of the podcast app, Stitcher, a Vice President of Business and Corporate Development at Yelp, and the CEO of Eat 24, one of Yelp’s subsidiaries. We learn about venture capital investments, including how VC investors evaluate potential investments, how they make investment decisions, and how to make a successful venture capital pitch. If you’re a law student or lawyer interested in joining the venture capital space one day, or a founder interested in what it takes to successfully secure funding, this episode is for you!

On episode 13, we speak to Yvan-Claude Pierre (“YCP”), a partner at Cooley. YCP is one of the faces of Cooley and a leader in its diversity, equity & inclusion efforts. We learn about the story behind the founding of Cooley’s Chicago office and how the firm makes such a big decision. We also discuss YCP’s career and experiences as a diverse lawyer, and what partners and law firms can do to create space for, and retain their diverse lawyers.

On episode 12, we speak to Matt Levine, the Author of the widely read Bloomberg financial newsletter, “Money Stuff”. We talk about his journey from law school, to practicing law, his transition to banking, and eventually to writing. We also discuss Matt’s recent 40,000-word cover to cover essay, “the Crypto Story” and hear about his thoughts on this space. Matt also gives great advice for knowing when to get off the treadmill and spend the “optionality” you spend most of your early life and career amassing.

On episode 11, we speak to Brian Potts, a partner at Perkins Coie. Brian posted a picture of a rejection letter he received from Perkins Coie when he was a Summer Associate applying to jobs. Today, he’s a partner at the same firm. Brian is also widely known as the Legal Mentor on Linkedin. He is also an inventor, a founder of several companies, and a published author. We talk about his journey from the first Linkedin post he made to the movement that’s grown into the Legal Mentor Network, Brian’s networking tips, his experience founding companies while working as a lawyer, and why lawyers should lean into creative expression.

On episode 10, we speak Alex Su, the Head of Community Development at Ironclad. Many of you know Alex for his Linkedin posts and his TikTok videos under the handle, “@legaltechbro”. On this episode of Pivots & Personalities, Alex talks about his journey from BigLaw lawyer to legaltech, how and why he started producing content, what type of content resonates with his audience and what that suggests about BigLaw generally, “the Harvard Kid” and more.

On episode 9, we speak to Milson Yu, a partner at Cooley’s Palo Alto office, about the Public Companies practice area and the types of issues that companies need to adjust to after going public. Milson also shares about what it takes to make partner and discusses why diversity & representation among the partner class matters for associates considering whether to pursue the partner track.

On episode 8, we speak to Jordan Roberts & Ran Ben-Tzur, partners at Fenwick & West. We learn about public exits, what an Initial Public Offering timeline looks like, and the types of considerations that companies need to make in preparation to go public. Jordan & Ran also share about the capital markets practice area.

On episode 7, we speak to Kevin Cooper, a partner at Cooley’s New York City Office,  about the mergers & acquisitions practice area, what an acquisition & sale process looks like, and  the types of issues that buyers and sellers need to consider in M&A deals.

On episode 6, we speak to Josh Beser, a partner at Wilson Sonsini’s New York office about the General Counsel’s role. We learn about the types of legal issues that general counsels help founders navigate and how the role compares with practicing at a law firm. Listen to hear Josh share perspectives from his time at fast-growing companies like Away, inc.

On episode 5, we speak to Sepideh Mousakhani, a partner at Cooley’s Palo Alto office about the types of growing pains and challenges that founders tend to face as they build their startups from early into middle and late-stage companies. We also learn about how lawyers help their clients navigate this middle period and anticipate legal issues to come

On episode 4, we speak to Robin Painter, a partner of Proskauer Rose & Sarah Reed, general counsel of RA Capital Management, about what representing venture capital funds and their General Partners (GP) & Limited Partners (LP) is like. We also learn about the lawyers’ role in helping general and limited partners recognize and manage the risks involved with VC investments.

One very cool fact we discovered during the recording is that Sarah was the originator of the NVCA forms, the same set of financing documents that every ECVC lawyer uses!

On episode 3, we speak to Becki Degraw, a partner at Wilson Sonsini’s SOMA office, about raising capital at a startup’s pre-financing rounds, its later preferred equity financing rounds, devices for raising capital like SAFEs (Simple Agreements for Future Equity), and factors for considering who to raise capital investments from.

On episode 2, we speak to Christopher Higgins, a partner at Orrick’s Washington D.C. office, about patents, Intellectual Property (IP), copyright, trade secrets, what types of IP considerations founders need to make as they set out to protect their ideas, and how IP lawyers help their clients navigate these issues.

On episode 1, we speak to Jeff Laretto, a partner at Cooley’s New York City office, about the Emerging Companies & Venture Capital (ECVC) practice area, how it differs from other corporate practice areas like Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) and Capital Markets, and what makes successful ECVC lawyers.

Jeff also discusses what startup founders should consider at the founding stage, and how ECVC lawyers help founders avoid the biggest mistakes that tend to be made.

A series on lawyering throughout the corporate life cycle and legal trends in emerging industries.