Today we meet Greg Diskant, a Senior Litigator at Patterson Belknap and former Chair of the firm. In this special episode, Greg is interviewed by City Bar President Muhammad Faridi, a Patterson colleague. They discuss key moments from Diskant's illustrious career, including his clerkship with Justice Thurgood Marshall and Judge Skelly Wright, his experiences as an assistant U.S. attorney, and his successful trial work in private practice. The conversation delves into leadership at the highest firm levels, handling the pressure of significant cases, and the joys of the intellectual demands that come with patent litigation. Greg also shares his experience co-authoring a recent, major City Bar report calling on Congress to pass a mandatory and enforceable code of ethics for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Read the report: The Supreme Court Needs a Mandatory and Enforceable Code of Ethics (https://www.nycbar.org/reports/the-supreme-court-needs-a-mandatory-and-enforceable-code-of-ethics/)
Join a diverse network of over 23,000 colleagues—in private practice, public service, the judiciary, government, academia, in-house, and law school—who share membership and expand your personal and professional horizon. By becoming a member today, you help shape the future of the profession as a critical link in one of its most influential organizations: https://www.nycbar.org/member-committee-career-services/membership/
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
02:25 Greg Diskant's Early Career and Influences
12:19 Insights into Trial Work
18:34 High-Profile Cases and Public Interest Litigation
26:09 Balancing Professional and Personal Life
32:08 Law Firm Leadership and Mentorship
36:53 Client Relations and Bet-the-Company Lawsuits
40:07 Pro Bono Work and Democracy Issues
42:38 Supreme Court Ethics and Reform
52:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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Today we meet Greg Diskant, a Senior Litigator at Patterson Belknap and former Chair of the firm. In this special episode, Greg is interviewed by City Bar President Muhammad Faridi, a Patterson colleague. They discuss key moments from Diskant's illustrious career, including his clerkship with Justice Thurgood Marshall and Judge Skelly Wright, his experiences as an assistant U.S. attorney, and his successful trial work in private practice. The conversation delves into leadership at the highest firm levels, handling the pressure of significant cases, and the joys of the intellectual demands that come with patent litigation. Greg also shares his experience co-authoring a recent, major City Bar report calling on Congress to pass a mandatory and enforceable code of ethics for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Read the report: The Supreme Court Needs a Mandatory and Enforceable Code of Ethics (https://www.nycbar.org/reports/the-supreme-court-needs-a-mandatory-and-enforceable-code-of-ethics/)
Join a diverse network of over 23,000 colleagues—in private practice, public service, the judiciary, government, academia, in-house, and law school—who share membership and expand your personal and professional horizon. By becoming a member today, you help shape the future of the profession as a critical link in one of its most influential organizations: https://www.nycbar.org/member-committee-career-services/membership/
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
02:25 Greg Diskant's Early Career and Influences
12:19 Insights into Trial Work
18:34 High-Profile Cases and Public Interest Litigation
26:09 Balancing Professional and Personal Life
32:08 Law Firm Leadership and Mentorship
36:53 Client Relations and Bet-the-Company Lawsuits
40:07 Pro Bono Work and Democracy Issues
42:38 Supreme Court Ethics and Reform
52:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Muhammad Faridi: City Bar President, Commercial Litigator, Civilian Rep. to NYC Handschu Committee
This Lawyer's Life
55 minutes 36 seconds
1 year ago
Muhammad Faridi: City Bar President, Commercial Litigator, Civilian Rep. to NYC Handschu Committee
Today we meet Muhammad Faridi. He is President of the New York City Bar Association, a Partner at Patterson Belknap who has scored billions and numerous wins for his commercial litigation clients, and the Independent Civilian Representative for New York City’s Handschu Committee. Muhammad told us his story of finding success in the law while staying true to the principles of justice that motivated him to enter the profession. As Muhammad put it, there is nothing “fundamentally inconsistent in maintaining a robust private practice and a pro bono practice. And in some ways the two practices complement one another.” He balances obligations to his family and his Muslim community with the many overlapping obligations of his professional life – no easy feat for someone who achieves so much. Tune in for a special discussion of the work of the New York City Bar Association, the perspective of one of the legal profession’s leaders on AI’s entry into legal practice, and stories from a great legal career.
Access a transcript of this episode here: https://bit.ly/4h7J7z9
Join a diverse network of over 23,000 colleagues—in private practice, public service, the judiciary, government, academia, in-house, and law school—who share membership and expand your personal and professional horizon. By becoming a member today, you help shape the future of the profession as a critical link in one of its most influential organizations: https://www.nycbar.org/member-committee-career-services/membership/
01:15 Muhammad Faridi's Journey to the Law
04:09 Balancing Presidency and Legal Practice
16:09 Commitment to Pro Bono Work
21:23 Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession
26:53 The Art of Legal Writing
33:47 Impact of AI on Legal Services
37:33 Clerking for Judge Jack B. Weinstein
41:56 Role as Independent Civilian Representative
47:55 AI and the Future of Law
52:34 Conclusion and Farewell
This Lawyer's Life
Today we meet Greg Diskant, a Senior Litigator at Patterson Belknap and former Chair of the firm. In this special episode, Greg is interviewed by City Bar President Muhammad Faridi, a Patterson colleague. They discuss key moments from Diskant's illustrious career, including his clerkship with Justice Thurgood Marshall and Judge Skelly Wright, his experiences as an assistant U.S. attorney, and his successful trial work in private practice. The conversation delves into leadership at the highest firm levels, handling the pressure of significant cases, and the joys of the intellectual demands that come with patent litigation. Greg also shares his experience co-authoring a recent, major City Bar report calling on Congress to pass a mandatory and enforceable code of ethics for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Read the report: The Supreme Court Needs a Mandatory and Enforceable Code of Ethics (https://www.nycbar.org/reports/the-supreme-court-needs-a-mandatory-and-enforceable-code-of-ethics/)
Join a diverse network of over 23,000 colleagues—in private practice, public service, the judiciary, government, academia, in-house, and law school—who share membership and expand your personal and professional horizon. By becoming a member today, you help shape the future of the profession as a critical link in one of its most influential organizations: https://www.nycbar.org/member-committee-career-services/membership/
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
02:25 Greg Diskant's Early Career and Influences
12:19 Insights into Trial Work
18:34 High-Profile Cases and Public Interest Litigation
26:09 Balancing Professional and Personal Life
32:08 Law Firm Leadership and Mentorship
36:53 Client Relations and Bet-the-Company Lawsuits
40:07 Pro Bono Work and Democracy Issues
42:38 Supreme Court Ethics and Reform
52:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
