For years, you've been building your law career: head down, focused, years of commitment and perseverance.

But are you sure you're where you need to be?

Perhaps you know already: 'This is the best place, the best people and the best work for me, right now.' Which is a wonderful feeling, and something we're all striving for.

But if you find yourself trying to fit in, to stay true to yourself and your values, to find more meaning in law work, you're not alone.

Glenn Katon experienced this himself, and took the bold step, when the time was right, to make a change. Glenn was a trial lawyer for 10 years before turning his focus, and practice, to civil rights law for the past 15 years. Many of Glenn’s cases have challenged high profile civil rights abuses, and he has been quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Newsweek, among other publications.

Today, we talk about the challenges, both systemic and cultural, facing civil rights litigation, and how to navigate these obstacles.

But our discussion always circles back to this question of, "How do you really find your passion?"

If you're not where you want to be right now: start exploring.

"You have to be willing to not take the safest route. You can find a way to community, and then it just becomes a matter of how much are you willing to go off the beaten path."

In this episode, we discuss:

◼️ How Glenn's upbringing in Brooklyn impacted his worldview.
◼️ How Glenn was able to transition from corporate law to civil rights law.
◼️ Why civil rights lawyers face unique struggles in their work.
◼️ That finding a community in law can help you guide career transitions.
◼️ Why qualified immunity presents significant challenges in civil rights litigation.
◼️ The undermining of constitutional rights, as protected in the 4th, 5th and 14th amendments.

Chapters

00:00 From Corporate Law to Civil Rights Advocacy
02:57 The Impact of Glenn's Upbringing on His Career
10:12 The Rocking Chair Test: Reflecting on Career Choices
19:48 Finding Your Passion in Law
30:13 Navigating Qualified Immunity in Civil Rights Cases
39:46 The Importance of Authenticity in the Courtroom
49:46 Advice for Young Lawyers

Courtroom Stories & Tactics | RVA Trial Lawyers
Available on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and at RVATrialLawyers.com

Based out of Richmond, Virginia, Courtroom Stories & Tactics by RVA Trial Lawyers exists for lawyers who try cases to juries on behalf of people. Through our podcast, we hope to learn from them, support them, connect them, inspire them, and preserve their work for future trial lawyers.

If you are willing, we would greatly appreciate it if you left us a 5-Star Google Review by clicking here. Your review will help people find us.

Thank you!

Sharif Gray and Nael Abouzaki

Losing a trial case can feel like a crushing gut punch, an emotional hit, burdened with the weight of disappointing your client. It stings, and it's hard to shake off.

You can't control the outcome, but you can control your reaction to it.

Matt Nakajima is an accomplished trial lawyer who has secured more than forty verdicts and settlements of $1 million or more. Since 2025 alone, he has recovered over $100 million for his clients.

Several of these cases have resulted in nationwide safety changes, particularly in corporate negligence and trucking collision cases - helping prevent similar harm to others.

But before reaching this level of success, Matt had his share of losses. The kind of defeats that made him question if trial work was even the right thing for him.

Today, we talk about perseverance, the importance of community, continuous training and learning from losses.

'Resilience' may sound like a buzzword, but witness it applied here with an intention and commitment that's genuine and inspiring.

"That ability to pick yourself back up and try again I think is really what separates good lawyers from average, and then to become great."

In this episode, we discuss:

◼️ How the realities of being a private investigator compare to portrayals in the media.
◼️ How to build rapport, an essential ingredient for trust in investigations.
◼️ Why effective interviewing requires patience and active listening.
◼️ Why lawyers should prioritize the process over the outcome in trials.
◼️ How understanding the legal landscape is also crucial for investigators.
◼️ That giving grace to others can improve professional relationships.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: A Stark Choice
02:03 Matt's First Solo Trial: Taking Risks
05:53 Lessons from Loss
12:04 Empathy in Advocacy, Connecting with Clients
21:58 Investing in Yourself: The Roadmap for Aspiring Trial Lawyers
28:01 Personal Growth: Balancing Life and Law
31:58 The Briefcase Analogy: Valuing Human Life
40:01 Advice for New Lawyers

Courtroom Stories & Tactics | RVA Trial Lawyers
Available on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and at RVATrialLawyers.com

Based out of Richmond, Virginia, Courtroom Stories & Tactics by RVA Trial Lawyers exists for lawyers who try cases to juries on behalf of people. Through our podcast, we hope to learn from them, support them, connect them, inspire them, and preserve their work for future trial lawyers.

If you are willing, we would greatly appreciate it if you left us a 5-Star Google Review by clicking here. Your review will help people find us.

Thank you!

Sharif Gray and Nael Abouzaki

How would the FBI approach jury selection?

Imagine applying these same tools and trainings to your own jury selection and investigations, and having the ability to uncover evidence that changes the outcome of cases.

Jim Melia is a retired FBI special agent turned professional investigator, here in Richmond, VA. Today he shares his insight into the skills required for effective interviewing, how to build rapport with someone, and why anything from empathy to confession comes from building a human connection.

You can't just launch into a pointed question that puts someone, a complete stranger, on the spot. Our conversation today is a fascinating study in psychology and negotiation, a masterclass on how trial lawyers should conduct jury selection.

"I never got a confession out of anybody by yelling at them. You get confessions out of people by building rapport and being respectful, telling people what their options are, and giving them a way to confess to you while saving face. That's what works."

In this episode, we discuss:

◼️ How the realities of being a private investigator compare to portrayals in the media.
◼️ How to build rapport, an essential ingredient for trust in investigations.
◼️ Why effective interviewing requires patience and active listening.
◼️ Why lawyers should prioritize the process over the outcome in trials.
◼️ How understanding the legal landscape is also crucial for investigators.
◼️ That giving grace to others can improve professional relationships.

Chapters

00:00 Building Rapport: The Foundation of Trust
02:03 From FBI to Private Investigator
05:57 The Art of Investigation: Skills and Techniques
12:02 Pivotal Interviews: The Key to Successful Investigations
18:13 Scientific Interviewing: Modern Techniques in Interrogation
24:06 The Role of Private Investigators in Legal Cases
30:04 Lessons for Lawyers: Collaborating with Investigators
36:02 Life as a Private Investigator: Reality vs. TV
46:58 How Should Lawyers Use Private Investigators

Courtroom Stories & Tactics | RVA Trial Lawyers
Available on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and at RVATrialLawyers.com

Based out of Richmond, Virginia, Courtroom Stories & Tactics by RVA Trial Lawyers exists for lawyers who try cases to juries on behalf of people. Through our podcast, we hope to learn from them, support them, connect them, inspire them, and preserve their work for future trial lawyers.

If you are willing, we would greatly appreciate it if you left us a 5-Star Google Review by clicking here. Your review will help people find us.

Thank you!

Sharif Gray and Nael Abouzaki