Prelaw Land Podcast: Recent Episodes
Evan Guthrie
Evan Guthrie Law Firm presents the Lawyer Podcast featuring lawyers from all disciplines sharing their experiences and wisdom in the legal profession. podcast.prelawland.com/
Dan Canon is a writer, civil rights and constitutional lawyer, and professor at the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville, his alma mater. He has extensive experience in litigation at both the state and federal levels and has argued cases before appellate courts including the Supreme Court of Kentucky and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Interview by Sydney George, Occidental College Class of 2023
Jean Brennan was born and raised outside of Detroit, Michigan. She is a double graduate of the University of Michigan with a bachelor's degree in English Literature and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. Jean began her legal career as a judicial clerk for Justice James H. Brickley on the Michigan Supreme Court. In her 30 years of legal practice, she has worked for a large law firm, a small law firm, and as in-house counsel for telephone, cable, and data storage companies. For the last fourteen years, Jean has been a Staff Attorney for the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Jean and her husband have lived in Denver, Colorado, for 27 years. They have two adult daughters.
Interview by Maddie Solomon, Occidental College Class of 2022
Marisol León is a civil rights attorney for the California Department of Justice and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Occidental College in the Critical Theory and Social Justice Department. She earned her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law.
Interview by Sydney George, Occidental College Class of 2023
Patrick Barbary of Morgan & Barbary in Melbourne, FL is a retired attorney was in Air Force in the 1970s and later a commercial pilot for airplanes and helicopters, and also developed and owned hotels and restaurants in France and Florida in the 1980s. He then completed a AS and BS at Brevard Community College and Rollins and obtained a JD at Stetson College of Law in St. Petersburg between 1989 and 1993. Herved as a prosecutor at the State Attorney’s Office in Melbourne 18th Judicial Circuit from 1993 to 1995 and went on to open his own law firm in 1996. He then joined longtime friend Clay Morgan and opened Morgan and Barbary in 1999. He retired from practicing law in 2014 and moved to Panama where he now enjoys farming.
Interview by Brooke Arutt, Florida State University Class of 2022
Anthony Defazio of Anthony DeFazio Law, P.C. in Beacon, NY has been a practicing lawyer for over 20 years and specializes in criminal defense and personal injury law. He has worked as an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn, New York but is now working in the Hudson Valley for his own firm. He does not only litigate criminal defense and personal injury law, he also is experienced in DWI/DUI, drug offenses, school offenses, auto accidents, and contract issues.
Interview by Nicholas Bellino, Binghamton University Class of 2023.
Christopher Gramiccioni was appointed as Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor in 2012 and confirmed by the Senate in August of 2015. As a prosecutor, he has handled cases involving sexual assault, child abuse, computer crimes, and much more. He served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in 2001 and then served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey from 2002 to 2011.
Interview by Sarah Samdani, Rutgers University Class of 2024
Poppi Ritacco, JD, LLM is the Administration of Justice and Legal Studies, Coordinator / Urban Studies for the University Of Pittsburgh. After studying Philosophy as an undergraduate and earning a J.D. from Harvard, Poppi worked as a criminal prosecutor in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. She also gained experience teaching criminal and constitutional law to law enforcement as an Attorney Advisor for the Department of Homeland Security at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (“FLETC”) in Glynco, Georgia. Poppi also has worked in the domestic violence unit of N.H. Legal Aid. Most recently, Poppi earned a Criminal Law LL.M. at the University of Buffalo School of Law.
Interview by Lou Kettering, University of Pittsburgh Class of 2020.
Kim Sordyl of Sordyl Law LLC is a civil rights-focused employment attorney in Portland, Oregon with a specialty in representing clients in civil rights, race and sex discrimination, and #MeToo litigation. She also advises small businesses and employees in employee matters. She received her J.D. from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
Interview by Sydney George, Occidental College Class of 2023.
Allan Marain of the Law Offices of Allan Marain in New Brunswick, NJ is a criminal defense attorney who has represented young people charged with criminal offenses, juvenile delinquency, and more. After graduating from Seton Hall University School of Law and has been representing clients since 1976. Marain is also a member of the Legal Committee of NORML (National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws).
Interview by Sarah Samdani, Rutgers University Class of 2024
Charles Schalk of Savo, Schalk, Gillespie, O’Grodnick & Fisher is a successful trial attorney who has been recognized by the NJ Supreme Court as a Certified Civil Trial Attorney, an honor achieved by about 2% of all NJ attorneys. He has won several multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements, and he continues to practice in employment law, criminal defense, civil rights, and more.
Interview by Sarah Samdani, Rutgers University Class of 2024
Stacey Chapman of Sternfield Law LLC in Denver, CO is an experienced real estate lawyer who has been practicing law for more than 15 years. Attorney Chapman specializes in commercial leasing, commercial development, acquisition and disposition, and general contract law and provides legal advice in connection with a variety of commercial real estate holdings, as well as a major music festival and an international professional cycling competition.
Interview by Maddie Solomon, Occidental College Class of 2022
Jhenerr Hines of Tampa Advocate Law is a criminal defense attorney located in Tampa, FL where she not only fights on behalf of the criminally accused but also teaches lawyers and students topics on Criminal law, marketing, and practice management. Hines represents clients on a range of issues that include DUI and other alcohol related crimes, assault and battery, and burglary. She has been awarded several titles such as AVVO Top Criminal Defense Attorney, GEBA Outstanding Young Lawyer, and BCU 40 Under 40.
Interview by Laila Mustafa, Florida State University of 2022
Alexa Kluska of the 13th Circuit Solicitors Office in Greenville, SC is from Greensburg, PA, and majored in History at Washington & Jefferson College. She graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2016 and went on to clerk for The Honorable Robert E. Hood in Columbia, SC. Alexa now resides in Greenville, SC, and works as an Assistant Solicitor for the 13th Circuit, prosecuting criminal cases in the Crimes Against Children Unit.
Interview by Lou Kettering, University of Pittsburgh Class of 2020
Hillary Piedra of the Weinberger Law Group in Parsippany, NJ is a divorce and family law attorney at Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group, LLC. She represents clients on issues ranging from child custody to domestic violence and more. She also represents clients in post-judgement matters, like child support modifications or appeals from less than favorable judgements. Ms. Piedra is also a member of the Young Lawyer’s Division of the New Jersey State Bar Association, the Essex County Bar Association, and the Morris County Bar Association.
Interview by Sarah Samdani, Rutgers University Class of 2024
James J. Biscone of Johnson & Biscone, P.A. graduated from the Oklahoma City University School of Law. Biscone is licensed to practice in all Oklahoma state courts, the Oklahoma Supreme Court, each federal district court in Oklahoma, and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. His practice focuses on personal injury, workers’ compensation, and Social Security Disability.
Interview by Anna Schmidt, Oklahoma City University Class of 2022
Diana Nickerson Jacobs is a shareholder with Goldberg, Persky & White, P.C. in Pittsburgh, PA and has represented injured people at the same firm since becoming an attorney more than twenty years ago. She is a personal injury attorney, and her main area of legal expertise focuses on asbestos victims, though she has represented plaintiffs with health problems stemming from negligence or defective products. Throughout her career, she helped hundreds of victims and their families find justice in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Interview by John Martin, University of Pittsburgh Class of 2020.
Kelli Jones of Kelli Jones Law, PLLC in Holbrook, NY is a trademark and business lawyer. Kelli work with entrepreneurs, small business owners, and online coaches to make sure that their businesses are protected through federal trademark registration, contracts and other legal means.
Interview by Melanie Nolan, Skidmore College Class of 2023