Original Jurisdiction

‘There’s Always A Way’: Jaime Santos

Earlier this month, Jaime Santos joined Proskauer Rose, making her the latest in a series of appellate advocates to switch firms in 2026. She came from Goodwin, where she

The Making Of A Celebrity Litigator: Mathew Rosengart

Five years ago this fall, Mathew Rosengart made international headlines when he secured the termination of the 13-year conservatorship of pop icon Britney Spears. But whi

Google Goes All In On Legal AI: Halimah DeLaine Prado

Legal AI is a big deal—and a big business. How do we know this? It’s attracting interest beyond specialized, law-focused providers like Harvey and Legora (which are thems

Building A Legal Playbook For Crypto’s Next Chapter: Molly Abraham

Cryptocurrency is at a critical point in its evolution. The existential questions have been answered—crypto is here to stay—and now the main issues relate to how it will

Biglaw’s Embrace Of Contingency Litigation

For much of the time that I’ve been writing about the legal profession, the line between plaintiff- and defense-side litigation was clear, stable, and widely respected. S

From Cravath Partner To Boutique Founder: Ben Gruenstein

Earlier this year, Benjamin Gruenstein left Cravath Swaine & Moore, his professional home for almost two decades, and founded his own boutique, Gruenstein Law. Ben and I

Supreme Court Term In Review: Zach Shemtob

Last Tuesday, June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its final opinions in argued cases for October Term 2025. So it’s an ideal time to review the Term that was—and to lo

Taking On Tough Cases For The Trump Administration: Abhishek Kambli

Defending some of the Trump administration’s most controversial policies in court, before frequently skeptical judges, can be difficult. But Abhishek “Abhi” Kambli, who r

‘A Simple Ambition—The Very Best Appellate Practice’: Kannon Shanmugam

For longtime observers of the legal profession, here’s a headline we wouldn’t have expected a few years ago: “The Eight-Figure Talent Race for Supreme Court Lawyers.” Acc

A Prosecutor Turned Partner—And Pioneer: Jessie Liu

The trend of leading litigators launching their own boutiques continues. Last month, three Chambers-ranked trial lawyers—Jessie Liu, Justin Shur, and Jonathan Kravis—left

From Litigation To Legislation And Back Again: Rob Bonta

State attorneys general have been playing an increasingly important role in American law and politics in recent years, as I discussed in my recent podcast interview of fo

How Law Firms Can Lead The Agentic AI Era: Sabastian Niles

Artificial intelligence is transforming the practice of law in countless ways, as I’ve explored in this podcast and newsletter. Thus far, I’ve focused mainly on AI’s impl

Last Branch Standing: Sarah Isgur

Sarah Isgur is one of the busiest people in legal media. She hosts the delightful Advisory Opinions podcast (on which I sometimes appear); serves as an editor of SCOTUSbl

Winning For Workers Before A Conservative Court: Jennifer Bennett

My latest guest is an acclaimed appellate and Supreme Court advocate, Jennifer Bennett of Gupta Wessler. To introduce her, I’m going to turn over the floor to a former po

Building A Law Firm, Five Years In: Jed Bergman

I’ve interviewed many law firm leaders on this podcast, usually from one of two extremes: brand-new boutiques or long-established Biglaw institutions. But the most intere

The Very Model Of A Modern Attorney General: Matt Platkin

Over the three decades that I’ve been in and around the legal profession, one of the most interesting developments has been the rise of what I’d call “The Modern Attorney

Build Windmills, Not Walls: Michael Gerstenzang

Last month, Michael Gerstenzang concluded a nine-year run as managing partner of Cleary Gottlieb, one of the world’s leading law firms. During his tenure, he guided the f

On Vigilantism And Violence: Elliot Williams

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit davidlat.substack.com If you’re my age, you’ll recall the story of Bernhard Goetz. On a New York City subwa

Launching A Boutique In Turbulent Times: Timothy Heaphy

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit davidlat.substack.com How would you react if you saw Jack Smith, the former special counsel who prosecuted

Running A Global Law Firm In 2026: Jon Van Gorp

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit davidlat.substack.com Welcome to the first Original Jurisdiction podcast episode of the new year, an opport