Harvard Law School Thinks Big

The 500 Lawdragon Limelight

Q&A with Martha Minow

Dean, Harvard Law School

"As a dean, my perspective on legal education has broadened from what I knew and saw as a professor. The job change for me was like moving from involvement in the single drama of my own students and scholarship to managing a whole theater with simultaneous plays, operas and rock concerts under production."

Lawdragon 500 Lawyer Limelight

Q&A with Barry Berke

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel; Harvard Law School Alum

"For me, I believe the key to winning at trial is to work very hard to prepare a “path to victory” that defines everything that your team must do leading up to trial to be prepared for how you expect the trial to proceed to lead you to a successful result ..."

The Last Consigliere

Q&A with Bert Fields

Greenberg, Glusker, Fields, Claman, Machtinger & Kinsella; Harvard Law School Alum

"... If somebody says false things of a defamatory nature about Tom Cruise, whom I will defend 'til the end of time, I will go after them in any appropriate way I can."

Lawdragon Lawyer Limelight

Q&A with Brad Karp

Paul Weiss; Harvard Law School Alum

"Beyond being smart, creative, pragmatic and tireless, I believe the key to exceptional client service is to strive to make your client look good at all times, which requires multiple skills. Be available 24/7. Be responsive. Put the client first. Identify problems and risks before they materialize. ..."

Lawdragon Lawyer Limelight

Q&A with Brian Gottesman

Berger Harris; Harvard Law School Alum

"I always knew while at Harvard that I would be returning to Delaware after graduating. I wanted to be close to family and the culture (including business culture) of Delaware appealed to me. Harvard exposed me to study of a wide variety of legal topics that have given me a better understanding and appreciation for Delaware corporate and business law and its place in the world and in history."

Lawdragon Lawyer Limelight

Q&A with Judge Daniel Weinstein

JAMS, The Weinstein Group; Harvard Law School Alum

"... Now in our third year we had 140 applications from 31 countries. Not only have we found hidden stars, but many potential superstars from countries as large as China and as tiny as Bhutan. Our Fellows mostly come from countries that do not have an established culture of using mediation for cases in litigation."

Lawdragon Lawyer Limelight

Q&A with David Markus

Markus & Markus; Harvard Law School Alum

"I’ve always gravitated to the underdog. It’s too easy to be a prosecutor. My 80-year old father is still practicing law and he taught me to help the little guy. I think defense lawyers get to be creative and prosecutors are often stuck asking what happened next."

Lawdragon 500 Lawyer Limelight

Q&A with George "Gar" Bason

Davis Polk & Wardwell; Harvard Law School Alum

"It never gets old for me. One of the great things about M&A is that every deal is different. The technology, approach and the ins and outs of the practice are changing at an incredibly rapid pace, which means it’s always new and fun."

Lawdragon 500 Lawyer Limelight

Q&A with Geoffrey Howard

Bingham McCutchen; Harvard Law School Alum

"The law is as much a folklore handed down from one generation to the next as a set of technical skills or substantive expertise. Keep asking questions and keep looking until you find someone who wants to teach you, and with whom you like working, and then work with them as much as you possibly can."

Lawdragon Lawyer Limelight

Q&A with Kevin Newsom

Bradley Arant Rose & White; Harvard Law School Alum

"I found, much to my surprise, that I didn’t want to be a law professor, after all – I wanted to be an appellate lawyer. Appellate practice feeds the academic in me and allows for strategic advocacy, too. It was a perfect marriage, and I was blessed to stumble into it."

Lawdragon Lawyer Limelight

Q&A with Richard Clary

Cravath Swaine & Moore; Harvard Law School Alum

"The issue is how to simplify in a way that’s still accurate. And how to make jurors comfortable. For instance, if you look at the opening statement, I tried to use examples from home mortgages and termite inspection certificates, things jurors might have more personal experience and familiarity with than a debt financing deal."

Lawdragon Lawyer Limelight

Q&A with Tamar Frankel

BU Law Professor; Harvard Law School Alum

"We need to cease feeding the greedy wolf within us. I believe it can be done. Let us enforce the laws on the books. We have enough rules to stem the tide. We may change some of the rules that have been eliminated and demonstrated their toxic resulting freedoms. But by and large, let us enforce the law."