#139: Molly Duane - Reproductive Rights and Justice Advocate

Welcome back to another episode of the How I Lawyer Podcast, where Professor Jonah Perlin explores the diverse paths and practices of successful attorneys.

Today's guest is Molly Duane, a senior attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights in New York. A Princeton graduate with both a JD from Cardozo Law School and MPH from Johns Hopkins, Molly has become a leading voice in reproductive rights litigation. Her groundbreaking work was recently featured in the documentary Zurawski v. Texas and she earned recognition in Time 100 Next 2024.

In this powerful episode, Molly shares insights including:

🔬📚 How her unexpected journey from aspiring scientist to reproductive rights attorney shaped her unique approach to advocacy [2:11]

⚖️👩‍⚖️ How her federal clerkship with Judge Chin helped develop her voice as an advocate rather than a neutral observer [10:25]

📊💡 How making yourself indispensable on legal teams creates opportunities for growth and responsibility [19:35]

📝🗣️ How storytelling through litigation can transform legal advocacy, particularly in reproductive rights cases [24:03]

🎭😊 How maintaining a neutral expression during heated court proceedings requires practice and self-awareness [33:04]

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦❤️ How balancing intense advocacy work with family life requires embracing the integration of personal and professional passion [35:36]

⚡🔮 How reproductive rights advocacy represents broader challenges to individual autonomy and civil rights [37:45]

This episode is sponsored, edited, and engineered by LawPods, a professional podcast production company for busy attorneys.