In this episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant sits down with Krista Stoumbos, Partner at Tyson & Mendes, who has taken nearly 50 cases to trial.

From defending catastrophic injury claims to handling sensitive cases involving abuse, Krista shares what it really takes to perform under pressure in the courtroom, and how top trial lawyers think when millions are on the line.

The conversation dives deep into the growing challenge of “nuclear verdicts” and the proven strategies used to defuse them. Krista breaks down a powerful four-part framework: giving juries a damages anchor, humanizing defendants, addressing non-economic harm, and knowing when to accept responsibility.

Beyond strategy, this episode explores the realities of trial law, from early public defender experience to building courtroom confidence, mentoring the next generation, and adapting to AI in litigation.

If you want to understand how elite trial lawyers actually win cases, this episode is a masterclass.

#TrialLaw #Litigation #JuryTrial #LegalStrategy #Courtroom #Lawyers #LegalCareer #TrialLawyer #LegalPodcast #HighStakes #NuclearVerdicts #LegalInsights #LawFirm #LegalEducation #FutureOfLaw

In this episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant sits down with Shahzad Qadri, Partner at Wong Fleming and Chair of Corporate & Immigration, for a candid and wide-ranging conversation on what it truly means to be a modern lawyer: versatile, technology-forward, and ethical.

From graduating from law school at just 20 years old to starting his career as a prosecutor, Shahzad shares how early courtroom experience shaped his confidence, decision-making, and long-term approach to law.

This conversation goes beyond traditional legal paths, diving into global transactions, corporate immigration, AI governance, and the importance of ethical boundaries in high-stakes legal work.

Shahzad also breaks down the principles of Islamic finance, offering a unique perspective on interest-free, fairness-driven financial systems, and reflects on his work supporting communities, entrepreneurs, and refugees.

In this episode:

• Why courtroom experience makes better transactional lawyers

• The rise of the “generalist lawyer” in a specialized world

• Immigration strategy for global investors and businesses

• AI, privacy, and the future of legal advisory

• Ethical decision-making in complex client situations

• Understanding Islamic finance in modern law

• Giving back: leadership, mentorship, and community impact

  
  

  If you're a lawyer, founder, or someone interested in how law intersects with global business, ethics, and technology, this episode offers a powerful and unique perspective on the future of the profession.

  #Lawyers #LegalCareer #CorporateLaw #ImmigrationLaw #EB5 #LegalEthics #AIinLaw #LegalInnovation #LawPodcast #GeneralistLawyer #GlobalBusiness #IslamicFinance #LegalStrategy #FutureOfLaw #LitigatorsEdge

  
  

What started with emails in the Enron era…is now becoming an AI-driven transformation of the entire legal system.

In this episode of The Litigator’s Edge, Aniket Sawant sits down with Marla Crawford, General Counsel at Cimplifi and a pioneer in eDiscovery, to unpack how legal technology has evolved over the past two decades and where it’s headed next.

From spending 22 years at Jones Day to building Goldman Sachs’ first eDiscovery program, Marla has been at the center of some of the biggest shifts in litigation and legal operations.

This conversation dives into:

• How eDiscovery evolved from manual review to AI-powered workflows
• What really changed after Enron and the rise of email evidence
• How AI is transforming document review, billing, and legal careers
• The growing role of legal technologists in modern law
• Why lawyers must adapt to AI while maintaining ethical oversight
• The story behind the Splash movement and advocacy beyond law

This is not just about legal tech, it’s about how the entire profession is being reshaped in real time.

#LegalTech #AIinLaw #EDiscovery #Litigation #LegalInnovation #ArtificialIntelligence #Lawyers #LegalIndustry #FutureOfWork #LegalAI #InHouseCounsel #Compliance #DigitalTransformation

In this latest episode of The Litigator’s Edge, we sit down with Rich Lee, former patent attorney, two-time General Counsel, and Founder & Executive Chairman at New Era ADR, a platform rethinking how everyday disputes get resolved.

After years of seeing the same recurring issues, unpaid invoices, employment claims, and disputes too expensive to litigate, Rich realized something critical: the traditional legal system isn’t built for most cases.

New Era ADR is his answer, a 100-day, flat-fee, digital-first alternative to litigation, designed for the “core 90%” of disputes that fall through the cracks of the current system.

In this conversation, they break down:

• Why most disputes are never worth taking through the traditional court system
• How a 100-day resolution model actually works
• The problem with discovery gamesmanship
• How technology and AI are streamlining legal workflows
• Why user experience matters in dispute resolution and what the future of legal systems could look like

• If you’re a lawyer, founder, operator, or anyone who has dealt with slow and expensive legal processes, this episode will completely change how you think about dispute resolution.

  #LegalTech #DisputeResolution #Arbitration #StartupLaw #FutureOfLaw #LegalInnovation #Litigation #AIinLaw #Entrepreneurship #GeneralCounsel #Lawyers #BusinessLaw

  
  

In this episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant sits down with Hongming Liu, Senior IP Counsel at Tencent America and a former PhD software architect, to explore the intersection of technology, patents, and legal strategy.

From his journey transitioning from engineering to law, to working at companies like Nokia and Tencent, Hongming shares a rare inside perspective on how modern patent systems actually function.

In this episode, we cover:

⚖️ Why software patents are often vague and difficult to interpret

🧠 How “invention harvesting” turns ideas into high-value patents

🌐 How global companies build and manage U.S.-focused patent portfolios

🤖 The growing uncertainty and risk in AI-adjacent patent litigation

🔍 The disconnect between engineers and lawyers in patent strategy

This conversation offers a deep dive into the realities of patent law and why outcomes are often far less predictable than they seem.

🎙️ Watch the full episode to understand how technology and law truly intersect behind the scenes.

#PatentLaw #IntellectualProperty #AIinLaw #LegalStrategy #TechLaw #Innovation #Litigation #TheLitigatorsEdge #SoftwarePatents #IPStrategy

In this forward-looking episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant sits down with Larry Robins, a global brand management authority and Partner at FisherBroyles. With a career spanning over four decades, Larry brings a rare dual perspective, having served as Worldwide Trademark Counsel for tech giant Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) before championing today's overhead-free, distributed law firm model.

Larry delivers a masterclass in strategic brand protection, recounting how implementing a strict "brand policeman" rubric at DEC saved millions by shifting the company from mindless trademark hoarding to value-driven asset management. He details his bold transition from legacy trademark search providers to advanced AI platforms—a move that slashed a client's global search and watch bill from nearly $100,000 to $40,000 while actually increasing precision. Beyond legal tech, Larry unpacks the tactical nuances of protecting functional designs in the furniture industry and battling sophisticated cybersquatters and fraudulent job scams in the high-stakes fantasy sports arena.

Finally, Larry offers a candid look at the unparalleled collaboration found in a 100% remote law firm and issues a stark warning to new attorneys: AI makes deep legal knowledge and critical thinking more vital, not less. For a compelling look at the evolution of intellectual property, the economics of modern law practice, and how to build a career defined by technological agility, listen now.

#IntellectualProperty #TrademarkLaw #LegalStrategy #AIinLaw #Litigation #StartupLaw #BrandProtection #LegalInnovation #TheLitigatorsEdge #IPLaw

In this episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant, Co-Founder and CEO of Threadeo, sits down with Steven Molo, founding partner of MoloLamken, to explore what truly separates elite trial advocates from the rest.From his South Side Chicago roots to early prosecutor experience, including writing a Supreme Court brief that led to a 9–0 reversal, to representing Elon Musk, Molo shares the lessons that shaped his courtroom philosophy.The conversation dives into:• “Forum sensitivity”, tailoring persuasion to judges, panels, and juries • Why mastering the rules of evidence creates a trial advantage • Getting on your feet early and learning through mistakes • Plaintiff + defense experience as a creativity multiplier • Launching a litigation boutique during the 2009 financial crisis • Technology, AI, and human judgment in close cases • What in-house counsel should look for when hiring trial teamsIn a world of short attention spans and razor-thin margins, effective advocacy isn’t about volume; it’s about clarity, editing, and strategic empathy.For litigators, trial lawyers, and legal leaders, this episode is a masterclass in courtroom precision.#TrialLaw #Litigation #SupremeCourt #TrialAdvocacy #CourtroomStrategy #LegalLeadership #LegalInnovation #TheLitigatorsEdge

In this episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant, Co-Founder and CEO of Threadeo, sits down with Dafney Dubuisson Stokes, a former law firm partner whose career spans civil rights litigation, Fortune 100 defense work, and now high-volume arbitration operations.From reviewing inmate files in the Innocence Project clinic to trying a First Amendment case with the ACLU, Dafney began her legal journey focused on systemic change. She later spent a decade in commercial and financial services litigation before pivoting into ADR operations at Forthright Solutions, the exclusive provider of New Jersey PIP arbitration, where thousands of arbitrations are processed daily.This episode explores:• The shift from “fighter” to problem-solver in mediation and arbitration • How attorneys can pivot into new practice areas with confidence • Scaling legal systems through process, technology, and workflow design • The role of AI and tech in modern ADR • Why flexibility is critical for long-term legal careersFor litigators, young associates, and anyone thinking about their next career move, this conversation is both practical and forward-looking.#Arbitration #LegalCareers #Litigation #LegalLeadership #LawFirmLife #CareerPivot #TheLitigatorsEdge #LegalInnovation #WomenInLaw