#141: Kyle Robisch - Big Law Litigator Turned Flex Legal Talent Leader

Mar 7, 2025

In this conversation, Kyle Robisch, a Partner at Latitude Legal and former litigation partner, shares how high school debate shaped his career in law. He discusses the critical decision of selecting the University of Florida for financial flexibility, and the invaluable lessons gained while clerking for a federal judge. Kyle reflects on his move from DC to Florida, which he initially saw as a downgrade but ultimately broadened his practice. He emphasizes the evolving landscape of legal careers, the significance of work-life balance, and the courage to pivot towards fulfilling roles.

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ANECDOTE

Debate to Law

Kyle Robisch's mom encouraged him to try policy debate in high school.
This unexpectedly set him on a 12-year path towards law, influencing his college choices and career.

ADVICE

College Choices

When choosing a college, consider future law school plans and financial flexibility.
Don't exclusively focus on prestige; find a good fit for your goals and resources.

INSIGHT

Avoid Autopilot

Don't get stuck on autopilot; evaluate if the paths of senior lawyers align with your personal and professional goals.
Consider work-life balance and personal passions when making career decisions.

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Welcome back to another episode of the ⁠How I Lawyer Podcast⁠, where ⁠Professor Jonah Perlin⁠ interviews lawyers about what they do, why they do it, and how they do it well.

Today's guest is ⁠Kyle Robisch⁠, a Partner at ⁠Latitude Legal⁠, a premier flexible legal talent company providing top-notch legal professionals on a temporary or project basis. Before joining Latitude a year ago, Kyle was a litigation partner at ⁠Bradley⁠, an associate at ⁠Venable⁠, and a law clerk in the Middle District of Florida. He's a graduate of the ⁠University of Florida⁠ and ⁠Vanderbilt Law School⁠ and lives in Tampa with his wife and two children.

In this episode, Kyle shares valuable insights about the legal profession including:

🎤⚖️ How his high school policy debate experience put him on a 12-year path to becoming a lawyer, teaching him to argue both sides of an issue and work within established rules [2:00]

🎓💰 How his desire to attend a top law school influenced his undergraduate decision, choosing the University of Florida to maintain financial flexibility for future law school options [4:54]

👨‍⚖️📝 How clerking for a federal judge provided invaluable experience that accelerated his career development, allowing him to function at a higher level when he entered private practice [11:00]

🌎🏠 How his decision to leave DC for Florida initially felt like a career downgrade but ultimately accelerated his path to partnership and broadened his practice areas [13:47]

🔄🧠 How he realized litigation wasn't the right fit for him despite external success, leading to his career pivot into the flexible legal talent space [18:00]

👥🤝 How his current role at Latitude Legal allows him to help both law firms/companies needing talent and lawyers seeking flexible work arrangements, creating a people-centric career that leaves him energized [23:24]

🚪🔑 How increasing your "surface area for serendipity" by saying yes to opportunities and meeting new people opens more doors in your legal career [39:00]

🤖⚖️ How AI will transform legal practice but won't eliminate lawyer jobs—instead creating new opportunities for those willing to adapt [33:55]

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦⏰ How intentionality is the key to balancing legal work with family life, including practical strategies like putting your phone on airplane mode during family time [45:46]

🛣️🔄 How it's never too late to change career paths, even after achieving traditional markers of success like making partner [50:00]

This episode is sponsored, edited, and engineered by ⁠⁠LawPods, a professional podcast production company for busy attorneys⁠⁠.