Juan Perla Featured on “How I Lawyer” Podcast

Litigation partner Juan Perla was interviewed by Georgetown Law School Professor Jonah Perlin on the February 17 episode of the “How I Lawyer” podcast. Juan was one of four appellate lawyers who discussed their paths to becoming appellate lawyers and the tools they have learned for success along the way.

Juan spoke about his appellate and global disputes practice, the role that his clerkships played in his career development, and the importance of diversity in the appellate bar. “Including diverse peoples into the appellate profession that has such an impact on the way people live, on the way society is organized, on the way business is conducted, will only make the appellate outcome, the law that comes out of those disputes and those decisions, stronger and more balanced,” he said.

He also offered advice to students and young lawyers on dealing with disappointment, reflecting on his experience of being denied opportunities that seemed indispensable at the time. “I look back at that moment and I say, wow, how lucky was I that I was told ‘no,’ and that allowed me then to pursue what came after which was better than I could have expected or imagined. So, I would say, accept the disappointment, but don’t let that hold you back, just get back up and try for something else.”

This episode was produced with The Appellate Project, a non-profit dedicated to diversifying the appellate bar and empowering law students of color to thrive in the appellate field. The other three guests included appellate attorneys from the U. S. Department of Justice in Washington D.C., the Office of the State Public Defender in Oakland, CA, and the District Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia, PA.

The full episode is available here, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.