SideBar Advisors

Send us a text In this episode, we sit down with Michael Roybal, founder of Nuooly and an accomplished attorney with a background in international trade law. Michael shares how he built his law practice from the ground up, starting with cold calls and business directories, and the challenges of growing a firm. We then explore his entrepreneurial journey, including how the idea for Nuooly emerged from a desire to fill a gap in the business community. Now spending most of his time on Nuooly, Michael explains how he’s surrounded himself with experts to drive the platform’s success. Nuooly is redefining how business professionals connect, and Michael’s insights offer a fascinating look at balancing legal practice with entrepreneurship. 

Send us a textIn this episode, we sit down with Anita Ventrelli, Senior Partner at Schiller DuCanto & Fleck, who has dedicated her entire career to one of the nation’s premier family law firms. Anita shares how her first exposure to law came from helping her father navigate divorce paperwork, sparking a lifelong passion for advocacy.We explore the unique challenges of working with celebrity and high-profile cases, including the intense media scrutiny, emotional stakes, and even personal safety risks. Anita reflects on how she manages the stress of such cases and provides insights into handling contentious legal battles with grace.Beyond the courtroom, Anita discusses her deep involvement in community service, her commitment to mentoring the next generation of lawyers, and the lessons learned from a career built on resilience and excellence. This is an inspiring conversation for legal professionals and anyone interested in the human side of high-stakes law.

Send us a textIn this episode, we speak with Michael Gold, Executive Vice President of Redwire Space and a trailblazer in space policy and law. Michael shares how he leveraged his legal expertise to pursue his passion for space, proving that you don’t need to excel at math to make a profound impact in STEM fields. He delves into his pivotal role in the Artemis Accords, a set of international agreements that establish cooperative principles for lunar exploration and the sustainable development of space resources.Michael also discusses his dynamic work in the private sector with Redwire Space, highlighting cutting-edge advancements such as cloning human meniscus tissue in microgravity, pioneering solar technology, and developing computer chips for use in space. He offers insights from his experiences testifying before Congress and collaborating with global leaders to ensure space exploration benefits humanity as a whole.For aspiring legal professionals, Michael provides invaluable advice on breaking into the growing field of space law, illustrating how creativity and adaptability can open doors to success in unexpected industries. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about blending law, innovation, and the final frontier.-Mike Gold is the Chief Growth Officer at Redwire. In this role, Mr. Gold leads Redwire’s civil, commercial, and national security business development; marketing and communications; and government relations activities. Prior to joining Redwire, Mr. Gold was NASA’s Associate Administrator for Space Policy and Partnerships, Acting Associate Administrator for the Office of International and Interagency Relations, and Senior Advisor to the Administrator for International and Legal Affairs.  At NASA, Mr. Gold led the development and implementation of the Artemis Accords, which establish norms of behavior to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future in space for all of humanity.  Mr. Gold also successfully led the negotiations to develop and execute the binding agreements for the lunar Gateway, the development and implementation of the first lunar resource purchase by NASA and updating planetary protection regulations.  Due to this trailblazing policy work, Mr. Gold was awarded NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Medal in 2021. Before joining NASA, Mr. Gold was Vice President of Civil Space at Maxar Technologies and General Counsel for the company’s legacy Radiant Solutions business unit.  Additionally, Mr. Gold spent thirteen years at Bigelow Aerospace, where he established the company’s Washington office, oversaw the launches of the Genesis 1 and 2 spacecraft, and was a recipient of a NASA Group Achievement award for the development and deployment of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module onto the International Space Station. Mr. Gold is currently the Vice Chair of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and has previously served as Treasurer.  Mr. Gold is also a member of the Committee on Space Research’s (COSPAR) Planetary Protection Panel, representing the Committee on Industry Relations.  Additionally, in 2022, Mr. Gold was appointed by the NASA Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate to serve on the Agency’s Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Independent Study Team which was subsequently given the NASA Silver Group Achievement Award for their collective efforts to advance the understanding of this phenomena.  Moreover, Mr. Gold was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to Chair the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee from 2012 – 2019 and was appointed by the NASA Administrator to serve on the NASA Advisory Council and chair its Regulatory and Policy Committee in 2018. Mr. Gold has authored numerous law review articles and editorials addressing commercial space issues.  He has also testi

Send us a textIn this episode, we chat with Vanessa Vasquez de Lara, an inspiring attorney who shares her journey from immigrating to the U.S. at age 10 from the Dominican Republic to growing a thriving legal practice. Vanessa started her firm in a 10x10 windowless office and, along with her husband, who left his engineering career to join her, grew the business from $1 million to $3.7 million in revenue in under five years. Now leading a team of seven attorneys and staff, Vanessa has built a firm that offers working mothers flexibility, including subsidized office nannies and unique work arrangements. Tune in to hear her insights on entrepreneurship, growth, and work-life balance.

Send us a textOn today’s podcast, we had the privilege of interviewing Chaka Patterson, a partner at Alston & Bird. Chaka has built an impressive career that spans both the public and private sectors, including serving as general counsel and trying cases for Fortune 500 companies. In addition to his legal expertise, Chaka is deeply committed to pro bono work, where he advocates for those wrongfully convicted, helping them regain their freedom. His dedication to his community and legal service truly sets him apart as both a professional and a leader. 

Send us a textIn this episode, we sit down with Christine Amalfe, a trailblazing leader in labor and employment law. As chair of her firm’s labor & employment department, member of the executive committee, and human resources general counsel, Christine has been a champion for women’s equality. She shares her journey in founding her firm’s internationally recognized women’s initiative, her work on New Jersey’s Council on Gender Parity, where she helped institute paid family leave and equal pay for women, and her recent election as president-elect of the NJ State Bar Association. Christine also discusses her passion for promoting attorney mental wellness and supporting young lawyers. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on leadership, equality, and the future of the legal profession. 

Send us a textIn this episode, we sit down with Dylan Adams, a patent attorney at Davis Wright & Tremaine LLP. Dylan shares his unconventional journey from dropping out of college to pursue a music career, to later finding his passion in law. Now a successful patent attorney at an AMLaw 100 firm, Dylan has appeared on CNBC's *The Profit*, worked with *Shark Tank* contestants, and authored the widely respected book *Patents Demystified*, which is used in top universities like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT, and serves as the official patent guide for the American Bar Association. Join us as we explore his remarkable path and insights into the world of patents. 

Send us a text In this episode, we sit down with William Barrett, CEO of a prominent law firm, to discuss his remarkable journey from Big Law to leading a firm of over 100 attorneys. William shares how he took a 50% pay cut early on to prioritize work-life balance and the strategic moves he made to build a specialized practice in dental and medical transitions. Tune in to hear how his leadership has grown the firm from 20 to 112 attorneys and the key lessons he learned along the way. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in career growth, work-life balance, and law firm leadership! 

Send us a textOn our latest podcast, we interviewed Zach Ratzman, Director of Product Management at Thomson Reuters. Zach shared insights from his career journey, from his work with the Department of Homeland Security to his current role at Thomson Reuters. We dove deep into the Practical Law product, exploring its features, benefits, and how it stays up to date with the ever-evolving legal landscape. Don't miss this informative conversation!

Send us a textThis week, we feature Sandra Radna, an attorney who grew her law firm from a small operation in her basement to a thriving practice with a team of 15. Specializing in family law and personal injury, Sandra's journey highlights perseverance and entrepreneurial spirit.In this episode, Sandra shares her transition from a nursing career to law, her grassroots approach to building her firm, and how networking and referrals fueled its growth. She also talks about balancing professional success with family life.Sandra has been featured on platforms like Court TV, discussing high-profile cases such as the Johnny Depp trial.