The Portia Project
The Portia Project™ Podcast seeks to inspire the next generation of women lawyers and law students by sharing the stories of high achieving women in the law – their paths to the bench, the bar, and beyond. Their personal histories, spanning the 1960’s to today, chronicle women’s progress in the legal profession and business world, and serve as powerful reminders that there are many individual paths to success.
As master storyteller Bobette Buster puts it: “Stories, told well and acted upon by one generation, ignite the next generation to greatness; because they have heard with their own ears, and seen with their own eyes, what courage can achieve.”
Guests stepping into the spotlight to share their career stories include federal judges, state supreme court justices, and state trial judges from across the country, as well as leading trial lawyers, general counsel, law professors, business and nonprofit executives, and founders. They provide tips on effective lawyering and reveal the array of meaningful careers possible with a law degree, in a format that is a far cry from formal judicial or lawyer profiles in traditional legal publications – one that brings out the interviewees’ human side and lets their personality shine through.
By listening to the lives of these lawyers and judges, you will gain a clearer idea of how they built their careers and may be inspired to follow in their footsteps. Who knows, maybe the next woman to revolutionize law, business, or the judiciary will be you!
Hosting the podcast is M.C. Sungaila, a practicing lawyer for more than 30 years, who has consistently been named one of the Top 100 Women Lawyers in California by the legal newspaper The Daily Journal. She focuses on civil appeals, writs, and related trial strategy and consulting. M.C. received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for her combined professional achievements in humanitarian and pro bono work. She shares this recognition with seven U.S. Presidents, Nobel Prize winners, athletes, artists, and industry leaders who made a significant contribution to humanity.
M.C. invites amazing judges and lawyers to the podcast to share their valuable, inspiring legal advice. With each guest, you receive the best of both worlds: tips to improve your law practice and insights to enhance your career trajectory.
Join M.C. Sungaila in this meaningful journey to elevate your legal career and forge the path to becoming the lawyer of your dreams.
Listen to The Portia Project™ Podcast today at theportiaprojectpodcast.com
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 53 minutes
- Episodes
- 237
- Years Active
- 2022 - 2025
Holly Pascal
NASA Engineer and Women's Aerospace Network Founder Holly Pascal joins the podcast to share resume and career development tips, as well as her experience founding and building out the Women's Aerospa…
Wendy Wood
Judge Wendy Wood of the Arkansas Court of Appeals shares her journey from professional basketball player to private practice, research attorney on the appellate court where she now sits, and, of cour…
Legal Design: Tessa Manuello, Astrid Kohlmeier, Sarah Ouis - (replay)
Legal design is the application of human-centered design to law, making legal systems and services more accessible, usable, and satisfying. Today, we are joined by fantastic legal design leaders Tess…
Nicole Clark, Dorna Moini, Jacqui Schafer - Legal Tech (replay)
In this episode, M.C. Sungaila interviews an esteemed panel of female legal tech founders: Nicole Clark of Trellis Research, Inc., Dorna Moini of Documate, and Jacqueline Schafer of Clearbrief. They …
Lucy Koh
Ninth Circuit Judge Lucy Koh—the first Korean American woman to serve on a federal appellate court in the United States—shares what inspired her to become a lawyer and her path to the state court and…
Carl St. Clair
Carl St. Clair, longtime Music Director of Pacific Symphony, provides insights into conducting world-class musicians, mentoring and paying it forward, and how research for a music performance mirrors…
TPP Marketing & Presentation Skills: A Compilation Episode
In this compilation episode, we feature marketing and presentation tips from cross-disciplinary guests Angela Meyer, Rachel Cossar, and Carol Carpenter. If you want to level up your client developmen…
Thriving In BigLaw: A Compilation Episode
In this compilation episode, we feature the journey and advice of some of our guests who are thriving in BigLaw -- leading firms, practices, offices, and trial and deal teams. Hear from Barb Dawson, …
The Path To Space Law: A Compilation Episode
This compilation episode features some of our guests who focus on Space Law - in academia, private practice, and government. Michelle Hanlon, Caryn Schenewerk, Franceska Schroeder, Ruth Pritchard-Kel…
The Path To Nonprofit Leadership: A Compilation Episode
In this special episode of The Portia Project podcast, we shine a light on the journeys of our nonprofit leader guests and how they transitioned from law school to leadership roles. Tune in and be em…
Inhouse Counsel Guests' Mottos - A Compilation Episode
In the demanding world of in-house counsel, where navigating complex legal issues and supporting a business are daily realities, staying motivated and focused can be a challenge. But what keeps these…
In-House Counsel Tips for Outside Counsel - A Compilation Episode
Want to take your client service to the next level? In the second in a compilation series, our in-house counsel guests share their golden rules for outside counsel, including active listening, concis…
The Path To - and Role of - General Counsel - Compilation Episode
Ever wondered what drives successful in-house counsel? This episode dives into the journeys of prominent general counsels, revealing their motivations, challenges, and the secrets to their success. L…
Presiding Judges Panel At CLA Annual Litigation And Appellate Summit
In 2024, women serve as presiding judges in 5 Southern California counties and as presiding justices on several California Courts of Appeal. The Portia Project was invited to highlight many of these …
Center For Women In The Law Power Summit With Lori Cohen
The Portia Project presented a live program at the Center for Women in the Law's Biannual Power Summit in Austin, Texas, featuring an interview with Greenberg Traurig Vice-Chair, leading trial lawyer…
Space Beach Law Lab With Aaron Brynildson
As part of our Space series, we recorded short interviews with a few select speakers at the inaugural Space Beach Law Lab conference in Long Beach, California. This one with Aaron Brynildson gets sub…
Space Beach Law Lab With Michelle Hanlon And Caryn Schenewerk
As part of our Space series, we recorded a short interview with Michelle Hanlon and Caryn Schenewerk, two former Portia Project guests who are leaders in Space Law, conducted right after they stepped…
Patricia Benke
Legendary former California Court of Appeal Justice Patricia Benke, now in private practice at the Complex Appellate Litigation Group, shares her journey to the bench, tips for effective advocacy, an…
Bonni Pomush
Bonni Pomush, the CEO of Working Wardrobes, a leading nonprofit in Orange County, California, shares her path to nonprofit leadership and tips for leading and collaborating with others both inside an…
Kelsie Rutherford
As part of our series featuring leading women in space law, Kelsie Rutherford, Regulatory Counsel at SES, a global satellite operator, shares her journey to an in-house role and her leadership in spa…