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
Erin Levine
Erin Levine is the founder of Hello Divorce, an online divorce platform that provides software to complete legal forms and connects users to lawyers (if they want legal advice). Erin leveraged her le…
Deborah R. Hensler
For the first time, the podcast features a trailblazing guest who, despite having had a major impact on law and policy globally, does not have a law degree. Join your host MC Sungaila as she dives de…
Erin Wilson
Erin Wilson, General Counsel of CU Direct, joins MC Sungaila to discuss the interpretive role played by general counsel, the importance of facilitating communication between various stakeholders in t…
Erin F. Giglia
Entrepreneurship isn't a word you often associate with lawyers, but Erin F. Giglia, the co-founder and owner of the Montage Legal Group, is a standout entrepreneur. She and her business partner, Laur…
Ann Kappler
Ann Kappler, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Prudential Financial, sits down with host MC Sungaila to discuss her career journey from a law clerk at the U.S. Supreme Court to BigLaw a…
Chase T. Rogers
Chase T. Rogers, former Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, sits down with host M.C. Sungaila to share her journey to the bench and beyond. She also discusses the importance of building a…
Amanda Paletz
The Joseph Project connects human trafficking survivors with attorneys who represent them pro bono to help them with various legal issues arising from their trafficking experience. M.C. Sungaila sits…
Amy M. Stewart
Today’s guest uses what she learned as a student-athlete to build an inclusive team at her law firm. Amy M. Stewart is the founding partner of Stewart Law Group, the only minority and women-owned law…
Molly Dwyer
Molly Dwyer is the Clerk of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Prior to serving as the Clerk of Court, she served as deputy clerk and as a staff attorney with the Court. Prior …
Sasha M. Cummings
In this episode, M.C. Sungaila takes a look at the fine art of mediation with Sasha M. Cummings, a mediator with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Prior to becoming an appella…
Ann K. Covington
Ann K. Covington shares her trailblazing journey as the first woman on the Missouri Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, and ultimately as the first female Chief Justice in the state. She shares her j…
Dana Kuehn
Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Dana Kuehn, the first woman to serve on both of the state's high courts (the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals and Supreme Court), sits down with host MC Sungaila to d…
Sonia Escobio O'Donnell
M.C. Sungaila welcomes Sonia Escobio O'Donnell, Partner at Sonia Escobio O’Donnell P.A., and the former Chief of Appeals and Head Deputy Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Miami U.S. Attorneys' office at…
Nancy Wieben Stock
Judge Nancy Wieben Stock served for over two decades on the Superior Court of California in Orange County. After her lengthy career, she is now serving as a full-time mediator, private judge, and arb…
Moujan Kazerani
Moujan Kazerani, one of the Founding Partners of Bryant Stibel (alongside Kobe Bryant), shares how their company helps the technology, media, and data companies they invest in grow and succeed. Mouja…
Rosemary Pooler
Judge Rosemary Pooler was passionate about helping people, especially those we call the underdogs. Initially, she planned to make this happen through elected office. But then a friend suggested she c…
Briana H. Zamora
Justice Briana Zamora shares her journey from the trial court, the court of appeals, and then the New Mexico Supreme Court. She sheds light on different judicial selection processes, provides tips on…
Mary Card Mina
Host MC Sungaila chats with Mary Card Mina, a Supervisory Attorney for a federal government agency, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), and a former Judge Advocate General in the U.…
Maria Stratton
Justice Maria Stratton shares her journey from the public defender's office to the bench. She highlights the importance of mentors along the way, including the federal judge for whom she clerked. She…
Kimberly "Kate" Anne Knill
Judge Kimberly "Kate" Anne Knill of the Orange County Superior Court came to the trial court with experience both as an appellate advocate and a research attorney for the Court of Appeal. In this epi…