Law, disrupted

John is joined by Temi Omilabu, an associate in Quinn Emanuel’s New York office.  They discuss her remarkable journey from her childhood in Lagos, Nigeria, to becoming a trial lawyer at Quinn Emanuel, including the adjustments she had to make moving from Lagos to first Florida then Texas, her years at Case Western University where she earned her Master’s degree in Bioethics and her work after graduating for two global health-focused nonprofits.  They also discuss her love of advocacy and storytelling that led her to law school, her internship in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and her post-law school fellowship in the General Counsel’s Office at Yale.  Finally, they discuss how Temi’s interest in litigation lead her to Quinn Emanuel’s New York office,  where she immediately started working on depositions and on multi-district litigation and went to trial in a pro bono case within her first year with the firm.Podcast Link: Law-disrupted.fmHost: John B. Quinn Producer: Alexis HydeMusic and Editing by: Alexander Rossi

Emmanuel Givanakis, CEO of ADGM, discusses how ADGM became a global financial hub by implementing English common law, attracting investors through legal certainty, and crafting financial legislation based on best practices. They also explore regulations on FinTech, digital assets, and carbon markets. Challenges include a global recession and geopolitical issues, while emphasizing the importance of capital mobility and the positive relationship between ADGM and DIFC.

Leslie Zhang Weihua, VP and General Counsel of United Energy Group, discusses providing legal services for state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and private companies in China. He compares the differences in decision-making processes and priorities, the importance of understanding Chinese client expectations for Western lawyers, challenges faced by Western law firms in getting paid, and the expansion of Chinese law firms overseas.

John is joined by Sean Grimsley, Partner at Olson, Grimsley, Kawanabe, Hinchcliff & Murray LLC, one of the lawyers who represented the plaintiffs in the case in which the Colorado Supreme Court made the historic ruling that former President Donald Trump is not eligible to be elected President in 2024.  They discuss how Sean became involved in the case which his firm filed the day after it first opened its doors, how the case progressed rapidly as a special expedited state court proceeding under the Colorado Election Code, and the bench trial that concluded less than two and a half months after the case was filed.  They also discuss the fact witness who testified about the events of January 6, 2021 and the battle of historical legal experts on the original meaning of Section Three of the 14th Amendment which provides that no person may hold federal office if they previously took an oath of loyalty to the United States and later engaged in insurrection against it.  They also discuss the defenses asserted that the Colorado Election Code did not apply, that the Presidency is not an “office” within the meaning of the 14thAmendment, that this was a political question under federal constitutional law, that the only actions complained of consisted of protected speech under the First Amendment, and that the events of January 6 did not amount to an insurrection.  Finally, they discuss the expedited  appeal of the trial court’s decision before the Colorado Supreme Court, the likelihood that the U.S. Supreme Court will review the case and the status of similar 14th amendment  suits in other statesPodcast Link: Law-disrupted.fmHost: John B. Quinn Producer: Alexis HydeMusic and Editing by: Alexander Rossi

Michael Nosanchuk, a former taxi driver and sustainable farmer, discusses his unique journey to becoming a successful lawyer in the premier art disputes practice. Topics include cultural fluency from driving a cab, patience and perseverance from farming, and the importance of storytelling in the legal profession.

Yixuan Zhu, an associate in Quinn Emanuel's Beijing office, discusses her unique journey studying law in both China and the US. She shares her experiences conducting high stakes investigations in China, representing KKR in a trial, and playing a role in expedited multi-billion dollar litigation in Delaware Chancery Court. Yixuan also talks about opening law firm offices in Shanghai and Beijing, her transformative experiences in hiking, and the importance of cross-cultural communication.

John is joined by Eric F. Grossman, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Administrative Officer of Morgan Stanley.  They discuss the current legal issues facing General Counsel at major international institutions including how generative AI and machine learning will impact legal services and how companies interact with their clients; when companies should speak out on social issues; and the current regulatory push regarding financial disclosures, antitrust concerns and climate related issues.  They also discuss ESG efforts including the impact of such efforts on employee morale, the capital commitments necessary to transition to sustainability and the importance of accuracy in disclosing ESG commitments.  They also discuss cryptocurrencies, including building the infrastructure and trading and the relatively slow adoption of blockchain.  Finally, they discuss areas of increasing legal risk, including risks facing businesses built on business models that assumed low interest rates and the opportunities for distressed asset investors and bankruptcy practitioners.Podcast Link: Law-disrupted.fmHost: John B. Quinn Producer: Alexis HydeMusic and Editing by: Alexander Rossi

Tom Montagu-Smith, an expert in international litigation, discusses the unique DIFC court system in Dubai, where foreign lawyers and judges resolve disputes. They talk about writing the rules, jurisdictional issues, interesting cases, and the growth of financial free zones in other countries. They also explore the comparison between DIFC court and Singapore International Court, diverse lawyers practicing in DIFC, and challenges in enforcing judgments.

John is joined by Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, India's largest full-service law firm. They discuss the unique characteristics of the Indian judicial system, including the broad jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, the overwhelming backlog of cases, the need to improve the infrastructure of the judiciary, and the importance for litigants to obtain interim relief. They also discuss the increasing role arbitration plays in resolving significant business disputes, particularly arbitration in Singapore, London and the UAE. Finally, they discuss the key growth areas for business litigation in India, including environmental litigation, data disputes, including generative AI and privacy cases, and corporate governance disputes.Podcast Link: Law-disrupted.fmHost: John B. Quinn Producer: Alexis HydeMusic and Editing by: Alexander Rossi

John is joined by Richard East, Founder and Senior Partner in Quinn Emanuel's London office.  They discuss Richard’s extensive experience litigating in the Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM) court, including Richard’s experience winning the only case that has gone all the way from beginning through trial and judgment in the ADGM. They discuss the ADGM Court’s unique features as a common law English court within the Abu Dhabi court system, the broad jurisdiction rules, which allow companies present in the ADGM to sue and be sued by foreign defendants, and the extremely modern digitized court facilities that allow parties to present their case efficiently through electronic transmissions. They also discuss the NMC Healthcare case, where Quinn Emanuel’s actions in the ADGM Court played a crucial role in protecting the company from creditor claims and facilitating a restructuring that allowed the company to emerge and trade as a solvent group.Podcast Link: Law-disrupted.fmHost: John B. Quinn Producer: Alexis HydeMusic and Editing by: Alexander Rossi