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DCA Live’s 2018 Rising Stars of Law – Part 5

Doug Anderson April 10, 2018

Jonathan Taylor, Principal, Appellate Litigation, Gupta Wessler PLLC

Favorite Vacation Spot? Acadia National Park, Maine

The thing they didn’t teach you in law school that you wish they did? Law schools should teach students not only judicial opinions, but also how cases were briefed and argued by the advocates.

Advice you’d offer someone entering law school next fall? If you’re interested in litigation, my advice is to seek out clinical opportunities and to absorb as much good legal writing as possible. If you don’t know where to start, read a recent opinion by Justice Kagan and the latest brief from Paul Clement. You’ll be surprised at how readable they are.

Non-legal job you’d love to have? Novelist, investigative journalist, or Anthony Bourdain’s job.


Joshua Gruenspecht, Of Counsel, National Security, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Power Lunch Spot? Zaytinya for a great lunch, but Old Ebbitt Grill remains iconic

Favorite Vacation Spot? Puerto Rico - tremendously beautiful even while working hard to come back from multiple challenges

The thing they didn’t teach you in law school that you wish they did?Understatement

Advice you’d offer someone entering law school next fall? Don’t stress over the school component, but do make sure you enjoy the law component

Non-legal job you’d love to have? Emergency goalie


Raqiyyah Pippins, Counsel, Arnold & Porter

Power Lunch Spot? NoPa. They have a wonderful private room, which is perfect for lunch meetings (at a reasonable cost). Plus, their bread is amazing!

Favorite Vacation Spot? Bermuda, but frankly, any place with a beach!

The thing they didn’t teach you in law school that you wish they did? The importance of branding yourself, both inside and outside of the work place. As someone who went straight from college to law school, I did not appreciate the importance of advocating for myself in the workplace to get the assignments and opportunities I wanted. While God blessed me with opportunity despite myself, I now go out of my way to advise my mentees that, in the firm, you have to design your own curriculum to truly get the most out of your experience.

Advice you’d offer someone entering law school next fall? Be kind to people. Your reputation is just as (if not more) important as (than) your grades.

Non-legal job you’d love to have? An interior decorator.


Christian Albanesi, Head of Latin American Arbitration, International Arbitration, Linklaters LLP

Power Lunch Spot? Caffè Artcurial, in Paris.

Favorite Vacation Spot? The Maldives.

The thing they didn’t teach you in law school that you wish they did? That 90% of the answers that you will need in your professional career cannot be found in textbooks.

Advice you’d offer someone entering law school next fall? Enjoy every second of it and make as much connections as you can.

Non-legal job you’d love to have? Astronaut


Margaret Peloso, Partner, Environment and Natural Resources, Vinson & Elkins

Power Lunch Spot? Raskia West End

Favorite Vacation Spot? Argentina

The thing they didn’t teach you in law school: How to understand the business concerns that underlie client’s legal questions.

Advice you’d offer someone entering law school next fall? Learn something substantive beyond the law.

Non-legal job you’d love to have? I’d probably go back to my pre-law school job as a research diver.


Ethan Schultz, Partner, Energy & Infrastructure Projects, Skadden Arps

Power Lunch Spot? Old Ebbitt Grill

Favorite Vacation Spot? Andalucía, Spain

The thing they didn’t teach you in law school that you wish they did? How about the secrets to client management and obtaining/retaining business?

Advice you’d offer someone entering law school next fall? Try to identify areas of the law that spark some interest, but don't get hung-up with plotting out long-term career plans—those are going to change over time regardless.

Non-legal job you’d love to have? I worked at Enron after college, and would have like to have tried my hand as a commodities trader (the company went bankrupt before I had a chance).

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