Marissa Lambert ’27 acquired podcasting experience before coming to Boston College Law School, learning the ins and outs of producing a podcast that her former company was creating. Fast forward a few years to when she heard that San Francisco plaintiffs’ firm Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger was launching a podcast on plaintiffs’ law aimed at educating students about the success stories and opportunities in the field.
It just so happened that Lambert was interested in pursuing plaintiffs’ law as a career herself. Seeing opportunity once again, she reached out to ask if she could be a part of it. Now, she both produces and appears on the new podcast Cause of Action, hosted by Spencer Pahlke, an attorney at the firm and a UC Berkeley Law instructor.
As they planned the launch, it quickly became apparent that not only were Lambert’s technical skills crucial for the podcast’s production, she also had potential as a contributor providing a law student’s view of the topics being covered.
In the inaugural episode, “Find a Job You Love. Make a Great Living. Change the World.”, Lambert commented on the idea of a third career path out of law school beyond Big Law or public interest—plaintiffs’ law. Defined by the National Plaintiffs’ Law Association “as a branch of legal practice dedicated to representing individuals, groups, and organizations that have been wronged or injured,” the specialty is viewed by some in the legal profession as different from traditional Big Law or government/non-profit careers.
Pahlke asked Lambert what drew her to plaintiffs’-side law in her own studies and career plans, to which she replied, “It really blends the best of both worlds. I get to spend my career helping people who have been impacted by tragedy, and I get to make a good living doing it.”
This summer, Lambert will be working at a plaintiffs’ firm in Los Angeles handling a range of personal injury matters, being drawn especially to their work representing people who lost their homes in the California fires and survivors of sexual abuse connected to the Catholic Church.
Speaking on her larger goals for the podcast as it gets up and running, Lambert said, “I want other students to know they’re not alone if they don’t follow the traditional paths into Big Law or government. There’s a broader legal community that is eager to welcome them and champion them. I hope the podcast not only introduces students to plaintiffs’-side practice but also helps build a sense of community among those exploring different paths in the law.”
Listen to the first episode of Cause of Action with Spencer Pahlke, featuring Lambert, here.