I Am The Law

Fine Print, Big Money: Making Insurers Pay Up

Storm Lineberger is a fourth-year associate at global large firm Haynes Boone who practices insurance coverage litigation on the policyholder side. When an insurer denies a company's claim, he sues to recover what the policy promised. In this episode, Storm separates coverage work from insurance defense, walks through how a denied claim becomes a lawsuit, and explains why the underlying event, a refinery explosion or a hurricane, matters less than the words of the contract. He details the substantive work that falls to mid-level associates on leanly staffed cases, from drafting summary judgment motions to assessing settlement risk. The conversation also covers AI in document review and what changes when a senior associate starts managing other people. Storm is a graduate of Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Haynes Boone LLP [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/haynesboone] Learn more about Juno and private student loans [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/juno] Access LawHub today! [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/lawhub]

One Career in Three Acts: Big Law, Contract Work, Plaintiff Firm

Charles Star thought he'd become a union-side labor lawyer but like many law students, he followed the pull of Big Law instead. The prestige and paycheck were there, but the work left him unfulfilled. Charles walked away to pursue stand-up comedy, supporting himself as a hourly contract lawyer. Eventually he landed on the plaintiff side, where he works as a staff attorney on consumer class actions and feels connected to the work. In this episode, Charles reflects on golden handcuffs, career pivots, and what it takes to find a legal path that fits. Charles is a graduate of Columbia Law School. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Juno and private student loans [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/juno] Access LawHub today! [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/lawhub] Learn more about Haynes Boone LLP [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/haynesboone]

Sharpening the Craft of Special Victims Prosecution

Like most prosecutors, Jennifer Long learned on the job. Now she helps train them. After starting her career in a DA's office, Jennifer moved into handling child abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault cases. Today, she's the founder and CEO of AEquitas, a nonprofit that supports prosecutors across the country working on those same crimes. Jennifer spends her time writing grants, managing projects, and developing the next generation of experts in the field, while still keeping her hands in the substantive legal work. She explains how she built her advocacy skills in court as a new prosecutor, what it takes to handle deeply sensitive cases, and why strong writing became central to her impact. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law. This episode is hosted by Katya Valasek. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Haynes Boone LLP [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/haynesboone] Learn more about Juno and private student loans [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/juno] Learn more about Juno and private student loans [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/juno] Access LawHub today! [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/lawhub]

After the Headlines: Lawsuits in the Wake of Disaster

.Richard Hy is a lawyer who represents people harmed in large-scale incidents, from mass shootings to defective products to public health crises. In this episode, he explains the strategic differences between mass torts and class actions, and uses his work on the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting litigation to highlight how plaintiffs' lawyers think through which court, who to sue, and how to coordinate across dozens of law firms. Richard discusses the economics of contingency-fee practice, how AI is changing document-heavy work, and the secondary trauma that comes with intake after a mass-casualty event. He also reflects on how moving from insurance defense into plaintiff-side work early in his career shaped the way he approaches litigation today, giving him a clearer read on what the other side is likely to do. Richard is a graduate of Gonzaga School of Law. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/lawhub] Learn more about Haynes Boone LLP [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/haynesboone] Learn more about Juno and private student loans [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/juno] Learn more about Juno and private student loans [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/juno]

More Than Legal Advice: Building a Firm for High-Conflict Divorce

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 loans [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/juno] Access LawHub today! [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/lawhub] Learn more about Juno and private student loans [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/juno] Learn more about Haynes Boone LLP [https://i-am-the-law.captivate.fm/haynesboone]