Growing up in North Carolina with parents in the home construction business, Forrest Merithew cut his teeth on construction sites, played in the dirt, and developed an early passion for outdoor adventures. Always game for new challenges, he pursued a law career and discovered how his deep experience in construction and his outdoor recreation pursuits could shape his law practice. And a sticky lawyer was born. After successfully representing construction clients in complex commercial litigation for several years, Forrest pivoted to private practice representing outdoor recreation clients. Listen and learn how Forrest linked his personal passion (flannel shirt included) to a niche law practice that helps protect industry players and gives back to protect the great outdoors.

Alysen Bayles launched her legal career with an early interest in dispute resolution. Then after several years as in-house counsel and a law firm litigator, she found a mediation mentor and increasingly used alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and mediation in her private practice. Appreciative of how ADR gives both sides a voice, Alysen is now director of a federal court-connected ADR program where she oversees civil cases, serves as a mediator, and facilitates ADR training. Along the way, she used her time spent waiting for verdicts to write children’s books. Now a published author, Alysen uses her heartwarming animal tales to encourage young readers to learn, live, love, and read. Hear how this sticky lawyer followed her bliss to two satisfying careers.

Chris Jennison is a government attorney with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He’s an American Bar Association Officer and Young Lawyer Member-At-Large. He’s also a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician and board president with the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad. Oh, and he’s also a father of two young children. Aside from sleep, this sticky lawyer devotes his time and attention to endeavors that prepare him to do his best work, often for the benefit of others. An early interest in politics and public policy led Chris to a federal government placement as a young attorney. He is now the Headquarters Team Manager in the Employment and Labor Law Division at the FAA’s Office of Chief Counsel. But he finds balance in his life by being active in other roles, including as a volunteer EMT. Listen as we learn how showing up and performing at a high level have paved his path in all areas.

Haydee Dijkstal grew up in Wyoming, but frequent travel to visit the families of her Puerto Rican mother and Dutch father piqued her interest in international relations at a young age. In fact, it led her all the way to The Hague and a career in international criminal law and human rights law. In this episode, Haydee shares her path to international legal practice, and how she became a barrister in the U.K. She also gives us a primer on the workings of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the challenges of criminal and human rights investigations. Perpetually immersed in the world’s tragedies, Haydee explains how representing victims and the accused makes her a better attorney, and the huge roles empathy and optimism play in her practice. You won’t want to miss a second with this inspiring sticky lawyer.

Swimming by the time he learned to walk, Adam Grant soon ran faster than the other kids in school and biked when others drove cars. His interest in triathlons and ultra-marathons was a natural path for him. But creating a data privacy legal practice during the advent of the iPhone? Turns out, this sticky lawyer manifests his best ideas when he’s in a state of flow. With incredible focus, curiosity, and a penchant for research, Adam immersed himself in technology, wrote articles about its legal i...

Most attorneys hope to impact their clients’ lives and livelihoods by providing expert representation. As chief pro bono counsel at Arnold & Palmer’s New York office, Lucy McMillan’s legal career is keenly focused on making positive change for those who often can’t afford good legal representation. Lucy forges deep relationships with non-profits and legal services organizations to create opportunities for her firm to serve the community through impact litigation. Whether leading high-profile voting rights and gun violence cases, filing immigration paperwork, or representing parents in family law cases, this sticky lawyer gains deep satisfaction from a legal career that truly gives back.

Raised on an Indiana farm by an engineer dad who farmed after work, attorney John Schwarz has never been a stranger to long days and manual labor. He knows firsthand the struggles farmers face dealing with the USDA Farm Service Agency, grain contracts, solar leases, and all the farm-related legal issues in between. As a row crop farmer, he’s deep in the dirt with them. This sticky farm lawyer describes his mission to help other farmers in a profession fraught with big risks. Listen as John tells us how he balances two full-time jobs, markets his practice by writing for farming magazines, and what he believes are the biggest challenges for farmers today.

Cielomar Puccio grew up dancing in Puerto Rico. And although she didn't pursue it professionally, her passion for ballet led her to a unique niche law practice. Based in Miami, Cielo's practice focuses on helping dancers, choreographers, and others in the arts with immigration and intellectual property matters. With a background in advertising and PR, Cielo has grown her practice through continued participation in the local ballet community, referrals, and a robust social media presence. Join us as we learn how this sticky lawyer pursues visas for artists with extraordinary ability, secures copyrights for arts-related businesses, and navigates the complicated process of copyrighting choreography, especially as viral dances explode on TikTok.

Frank Bibeau’s life as a member of the Anishinaabe or Ojibwe people in northern Minnesota has largely been governed by his reservation’s tribal laws and customs. And manoomin—or wild rice—plays a central role in his culture as a primary food that requires protection. But what happens when the tribe’s right to manoomin is threatened by state and federal laws or industry? Another sticky lawyer is born. After years as a state employee and journalist, Frank earned a law degree to find novel ways to help indigenous people maintain their rights. Thinking outside the box, he focused on creating written tribal codes and rights of nature that could be examined in U.S. courts and influence how environmental practices are managed. Listen as he tells his fascinating tale of taking on big government and corporations.

Hira Jaleel is Pakistan’s first accredited Animal Law attorney, who has fought a lion's share of legal battles around animal welfare and animal rights, helping to shape federal and provincial legislation around animals in Pakistan. She vividly recounts troubling issues around live animal markets and the exotic animal trade that needs government oversight in her native country. Now an Animal Law teaching fellow and adjunct professor at Lewis & Clark Law School’s Center for Animal Law Studies, Hira describes how cultural customs and views play into animal laws and rights globally. Listen along as she describes a burgeoning legal niche that could use more attorneys willing to fight for animals.

What do you get when you combine a computer scientist, an attorney specializing in Intellectual Property law, and a comic book aficionado? A very interesting sticky lawyer. James Daily pursued a master’s degree in computer science while earning his law degree at Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. Now he represents clients in intellectual property matters while working for his alma mater’s Center for Empirical Research in the Law and teaching law students about technology’s impact on legal practice. Listen as James educates us on artificial intelligence and the practice of law, where it is a useful tool, and where caution is needed. He also dives into his side gig as an author and blog writer who explains legal topics through the lens of superheroes. As Robin would say, “Holy Sticky Lawyer, Batman.”

Jasmine Moy did not always love the practice of law, but she has always loved food and the fine dining experience. As a young attorney in New York, she fueled her passion for the foodie world by treating herself to wonderful high-end restaurant experiences and writing articles about them as a hobby. She eventually pivoted from litigation to restaurant and hospitality law, and another sticky lawyer was born. Jasmine used her restaurant connections from writing to create a legal client base, often representing celebrity chefs, restaurateurs, and hoteliers in New York and across the U.S. Listen as she explains her legal focus, how social media has changed customer reviews in the industry, the chef’s role in a restaurant’s success, and how creating a great restaurant vibe is one of the keys to its success.

Erik Weber is an attorney, a champion runner and running coach, an author, and a motivational video creator and speaker. Oh, and he is also autistic. His own special education experiences, and his unique ability to understand and advocate for special needs students, have helped countless families navigate the IEP process in California. A passion for helping the disabled community has fueled Erik’s greatest accomplishments to date. As a law student, Erik wrote a paper exposing deficiencies in state-run institutions for people with disabilities, which led to California staffing regulation reforms and more oversight in group homes. And along with running marathons, he formed a running team for special needs kids to help them develop self-confidence, and learn, in his words, “how to be their own heroes.” Join us to meet a sticky lawyer like no other.

While nearly a quarter of the U.S. population lives in rural America, only 2% of attorneys practice there. Phil Garland has spent 50 years as a general practice lawyer in Garner, Iowa — population 3,000. He has been his town's one-stop shop for legal representation and created a thriving practice through his relationships with residents, local businesses, and other lawyers in his county. But finding young lawyers to consider small-town practices is a nationwide problem. As chair of the Iowa State Bar Association's Rural Practice Committee, Phil spearheaded a Rural Practice Program to encourage summer clerkships in Iowa's small-town legal practices to give law students another option after graduation. His current partner Carrie Rodriguez benefited from that program. Together these Sticky Lawyers give us a glimpse of the benefits (including short work commutes) and challenges of small-town practices.

A deep-dive into the horrors of food-borne illnesses may not seem like an appetizing path for a young attorney forging a legal career. But for Washington based-attorney Bill Marler, handling plaintiff cases after the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak gave him unique expertise and led to a niche practice that specializes in representing those affected by food-borne illnesses. He is now one of the nation’s leading food safety experts and a prominent advocate for food safety policy in the U.S. and abroad. In this episode, Bill shares some juicy tidbits about the prevalence of food-borne illnesses and how most claims aren’t pursued due to difficulty in proving causation. We also learn about how this sticky lawyer’s love of blogging predated the internet but led to numerous referrals and Marler Clarke’s reputation as the leading food safety firm in the nation.

Growing up Muslim in America, Sumbul Ali-Kalamari was accustomed to explaining her religious culture to non-Muslims, especially in the Stanford University dorms. After becoming a corporate attorney and earning an LL.M. in Islamic Law, the cultural questions continued. She wrote her first book in 2008 and has made a career of writing, lecturing, and educating the public to promote intercultural understanding in the world – while also actively practicing law. In this episode, Sumbul gives us a broad education on the evolution of Islam and Islamic Law over the centuries, dispelling myths and shining a light on often misunderstood nuances. She explains Shariah’s feminist roots and a legal system based on the notion that an amicable settlement is best. And she tells how a childhood crush on William Shatner’s Captain Kirk led her to draw parallels to Star Trek in her books. Join us on this journey through the origins and tenets of Islam and learn about how this Sticky Lawyer has follo…

For an attorney who once had political aspirations and started his career in public finance law, Richard Walawender’s deep Polish roots and serendipitous timing helped him create a fascinating law career that started in the 1980s Solidarity movement and continues today in his role as Honorary Consul for the Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Detroit. A senior partner at Miller Canfield in Detroit, Rick leads its Autonomous and Connected Vehicles Group and has played a substantial role in developing the firm’s international practice. But as the son of Polish immigrants, his interest in Polish history led him to a college experience with the burgeoning Polish Solidarity movement and a call to help the Solidarity government attract investors and create the first private commercial bank in Eastern Europe. Listen as Rick paints a vivid picture of evolving post-communist Poland, his work as a local honorary consul, and the warming relationship between Poles and Ukrainians in the U…

The 2022 midterms may be over, but who are the election lawyers behind the scenes? We found one – meet Katherine Knox.  Election law piqued Kate’s interest during a law school internship, and she hasn’t looked back. As one of the most highly regarded lobbying and election law attorneys in Maine, Kate has helped pass groundbreaking legislation (including the first ballot initiative on same-sex marriage nationwide), worked with countless candidates at all levels of government, and serves as general counsel to the Maine Democratic Party. The law wasn’t her first career stop; Kate spent ten years as a clinical social worker before attending law school. Her emotional intelligence and passion for relationship building and working on a team to get results led her to a flourishing lobbying and election law practice at Bernstein Shur in Portland. In this episode, Kate shares how managing relationships and loving the energy of a chaotic legislative floor are the keys to successful lobb…

From forgery schemes to Nazi-looted art to patrimony laws to sanctions on Russian oligarchs, Steven Schindler has seen it all. As the leader of Schindler, Cohen & Hochman’s art law group, he proves that one interesting client can propel you to a niche practice area that shapes the rest of your career. Steve joined a large firm after law school and focused on commercial litigation and trials. After later starting a firm with two colleagues, his work on an art-related dispute piqued his interest in art law as a practice area. The field was wide open. Steve dove in, researched, wrote articles for law journals, and became a sought-after speaker on the subject.  Along the way, he has handled everything from title contests to fraud, challenges to authenticity and provenances, restitution for stolen art, and various transactions for the purchase, sale, and commission of fine art and NFTs. Listen in as this Sticky Lawyer describes how a life-long appreciation took him from one legal car…

Zachary Strebeck has always loved games, whether on a board or a video screen. In law school, he took classes and participated in internships to gain the skills he knew he would need to represent clients in the games industry. And a niche law practice was born. A digital nomad who works from a laptop from any place in the world, Zachary solves the legal issues of game start-ups, successful video and board game publishers, and related industry players. His work as a graphic illustrator before law school informs his knowledge of the business, helps him build trust with clients, and allows him to speak their language. From contracts to copyrights to privacy law, Zachary has advised clients on myriad legal issues as their industry evolves to include artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality. In this Sticky Lawyers episode, we hear how a guy with a passion for games created a successful practice built and operated on his own terms. Have a listen.

Environmental warriors are often inspired by stories of ecological travesties or climate problems that speak to their souls, and Donald Simon is living proof. A National Geographic magazine article he read as a kid in Ohio sparked a lifelong passion for protecting the earth. Although he began working with nonprofits in environmental activism early in his legal career, he moved to San Francisco and pivoted into an entirely new area. His work in construction litigation led him to shape the green building industry and help clients develop green businesses. That work drew him to creating the benefit corporation, an alternative corporate structure now recognized in 37 states. Oh, and he founded a few eco-oriented nonprofits, too. Through it all, Donald’s focus and commitment to taking care of our planet have driven his practice and book of business. Listen in as he describes how he uses his problem-solving skills to create change in the world and help clients do the same.

Christopher Melcher never dreamed about representing celebrities and wealthy clients in divorce court. Instead, as a young lawyer, he met an LA attorney with a high-end solo practice in divorce and family law who invited him to join the practice. He dove into the world of representing wealthy and celebrity clients, working with the teams that manage them, and never looked back. Managing the legal needs of these high-powered, sophisticated legal consumers requires the dedicated focus that this successful niche practice provides. But hobnobbing at Hollywood parties has never been his thing. Christopher’s humble and straightforward approach with his clients is what drives his success. In this episode, Christopher gives us a masterclass on marketing for niche practices. He describes the advice that worked for him and how using a video bio on your website can lead to more referrals. As a legal analyst for various media outlets, he also gives us some pointers on becoming a go-to leg…

What do five-minute interviews, going broke on the first day of a fellowship in Nairobi, opening a high-end hosiery franchise, and being appointed to an international trade committee by the Obama administration have in common? They are all experiences that shaped the fascinating life and legal career of Craig Owen White. Nurtured by his father and teachers to be curious, Craig knew he wanted to be an attorney at a young age. A fellowship after college sent him on a yearlong journey of self-discovery in Kenya and Ghana and cemented a pattern of listening and learning as much as he instructed. After law school and several years as a corporate law associate, Craig and his wife opened a high-end retail hosiery business in downtown Cleveland to create jobs in the Black community. That experience shaped his work with the International Senior Lawyers Project in Africa, as well as an appointment by the Cleveland City Council to negotiate with the NFL to bring the Browns back to town. T…

We've talked to attorneys on this podcast who represent clients' needs in distinct, niche areas of the law. But what about lawyers? They're humans with needs and a few flaws, just like the rest of us. Who do they call when they need a lawyer to represent them?  If they're smart, they will hire today's guest. Meet Trisha Rich. A first-generation college graduate from a tiny town in Michigan, Trisha is a partner with international law firm Holland & Knight, based in Chicago and New York. Her practice focuses largely on legal ethics and professional responsibility matters, meaning she represents lawyers and law firms when they get into trouble or need legal assistance.   But Trish''s devotion to the legal community doesn't stop there. She writes a column about professional responsibility ethics, teaches legal ethics at Northwestern Pritzker Law School and NYU, and co-hosts a Chicago Bar Association podcast. Oh, and she also helped create the Attorney Defense Initiative to help l…