On Tour with Curtis: Inside an International Law Firm

About On Tour with Curtis: Inside an International Law Firm

Are you considering a career in law? Come visit our offices to hear from our lawyers on what it's like to work in one of the world's longest established international law firms. With market-leading international practices, Curtis punches well above its weight. It does outstanding work for fascinating clients, but it's not a "shouty" culture. For all the firm’s international outlook, it retains a family feel; with fewer than 300 attorneys, so you're never just a number. Curtis’ legal DNA goes right back to 1830, when it was founded in New York City. Today, the firm has 19 offices across 15 countries. So when you join Curtis, you gain an international network of co-workers, from Bogotá to Brussels, Milan to Muscat. And New York and London, of course! Join Kate Fairweather to hear an insight into working in a law firm, which combines a storied tradition with an international outlook and entrepreneurial smarts. Meet our lawyers and hear what they think of Curtis and what it’s like to build a practice here.

Publisher

Curtis Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

22 Aug 2024

Latest episode

16 Dec 2025

Latest episodes

11 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Dec 2025

   Curtis Law - Pro Bono

   This episode captures the breadth of Curtis's pro bono work (https://www.curtis.com/our-firm/about/pro-bono/overview), spanning human rights and refugee asylum cases to estate planning for artists and arguing constitutional challenges before the U.S. Supreme Court. Curtis attorneys champion the legal interests of both individuals in need, and charitable organizations that serve the public good. The firm's commitment to pro bono is evident in its 200-year history, through historic cases such as the representation of third-class passengers in what became a US$2.5 million class action lawsuit against the White Star Line (https://www.curtis.com/our-firm/about/history/throwback-stories), operator of the Titanic, which sank in April 1912. Host Kate Fairweather hears from lawyers in New York, Mexico City, and London about how Curtis approaches pro bono work today, and the meaningful impact it creates. [01:43] New York based Turner Smith, chair of Curtis's Pro Bono Committee oversees the firm's pro bono activities across all offices. He has worked on a wide range of pro bono matters and represented diverse not-for-profit organizations, including the New York Transit Museum, Society for International Humanitarian Surgeons, and the Autism Society of America. He emphasizes the importance of treating pro bono clients with the same dedication and resources as paying clients. He notes how, for young lawyers, pro bono work offers invaluable experience. Turner reflects on how pro bono work took him to Sudan's highest court, and acknowledges the firm's unwavering support. [09:36] Mexico City based Santiago Corcuera-Cabezut, a corporate partner, focuses his pro bono work on human rights, particularly cases involving enforced or involuntary disappearances under the auspices of the United Nations, as well as extensive work in refugee law. His commitment began as an academic interest while at Cambridge and remains a lifelong passion. Santiago discusses maintaining a thriving corporate practice alongside his international human rights pro bono work, describing the latter as a personal privilege. He encourages junior lawyers to embrace multiple practice interests and emphasizes strongly that his pro bono work stems not from charity but from conviction, and commitment to making a lasting impact on the legal landscape. [14:52] London based Harry Draper, an associate, explains how his interest in pro bono began during his training and continues to be supported by senior lawyers at the firm. Harry describes his volunteering at the Waterloo Action Centre in London, where individuals seek assistance with personal suits, employment disputes, housing and tenancy issues, and other matters. He explains why he values the hands-on experience of pro bono work: directing case strategies and taking ownership of matters from start to finish and how his pro bono work directly informs and enriches the counsel he provides to corporate clients.

2. 

   10 Apr 2025

   Curtis Law in Paris

   In this episode, recorded from our Paris office in the elegant 8th arrondissement, you'll hear from lawyers in our dispute resolution team discussing their career journeys and the choices they have encountered within this dynamic discipline. Regarded as a centre of excellence in dispute resolution within Curtis, our Paris team comprises lawyers with diverse backgrounds within disputes and beyond. Host Kate and her guests in Paris take a deep dive here into the practice of dispute resolution and explore their experience working with a global team on international matters: International Arbitration partner Marie-Claire Argac shares insights on the benefits of working with an international community of clients and colleagues, and offers guidance on leveraging these connections early in one's career, and staying engaged in conversations with the active investor-State community. Marie-Claire, who frequently acts as defense counsel to States, discusses the satisfaction she finds in developing winning strategies for her clients from the outset of each case. She discusses her path to partnership at a leading arbitration firm and the myriad options available to young lawyers today entering international arbitration. Associate Charlotte Fromont discusses her work with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and the Paris-headquartered International Court of Arbitration (ICC). Charlotte shares how she draws energy from both her work and team, emphasizes the importance of passion for the discipline, and explains the necessity of mastering both legal facts and industry-specific technical details when handling complex arbitration cases. She also provides candid advice on achieving work-life balance. Disputes Counsel Loujaine Kahaleh reflects on her experience representing sovereign states and state-owned entities in arbitral matters, and how her pivot to litigation has involved significant time in the formal setting of French courts. She offers valuable perspectives on specializing in both arbitration and litigation, including anecdotes from a set-aside proceeding before the French Supreme Court (Cour de Cassation) in a high-profile case.

3. 

   25 Feb 2025

   Curtis Law in Frankfurt

   An insight into the sophisticated and distinctive legal market in Frankfurt, Germany’s financial and banking centre and home to the European Central Bank. Life is never dull for Curtis’ Frankfurt team, which serves a strong domestic client base alongside a high level of international clients with interests in Germany. In this episode, Kate Fairweather meets a variety of lawyers at different stages of their career and across a range of disciplines. · International investment funds lawyers Tobias Koch and Jan Schoberwalter describe the range of clients and their different paths into investment funds work – as well as the need for an open personality for this sociable area of law; · Disputes partner Sabine Schmidt shares her experience in commercial dispute resolution as both an arbitrator and as counsel. She also explains why both law and industry custom are equally important when representing sports law clients before the Basketball Arbitral Tribunal; · Senior tax lawyer Christian Fingerhut on the combination of technically complex work with client relations, while dealing ultimately with at least one and often more tax authorities and regulators. He outlines the range of skills a tax lawyer needs, to work in the ‘overlap’ between accountancy and law; · Corporate partner Kim Rissel describes working with the “hidden champions” of Germany’s industrial sector and offers some strong and very practical advice to law students.

4. 

   27 Jan 2025

   Curtis Law in Muscat

   An insight into the dynamic legal landscape in the Sultanate of Oman and what it’s like to practice law in Curtis’s office in their vibrant capital city, Muscat. Curtis is one of the very few international law firms with a base there, offering both international and Omani law under one roof. In this episode, Kate meets with a mix of lawyers at different stages of their careers, with varied disputes and corporate backgrounds, who work closely with the firm’s global network of clients and colleagues. · Simon Ward – Managing Partner in Muscat on Oman’s rapid development and how that has spawned specialisms in construction litigation and arbitration as well as aviation and shipping litigation. He unpacks his work with the London Court of International Court (LCIA) and the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC). And we find out why he sometimes needs to slip on a lifejacket over his suit. · Corporate International group associate, Linna Al Kendi, discusses her work with clients on corporate and commercial matters, including defending Omani companies in proceedings before the US Ministry of Commerce. She talks about her early experience as a litigator in Oman’s regional courts, and her determination to become a lawyer at a time when nearly all Omani lawyers were men! · Sophia Briffa, now a senior corporate associate in Curtis London, explains how she came to spend the first year of her English law training contract working in Oman. She speaks interestingly on some of the cultural differences in business customs between Oman and the UK, as well as differences in client interactions in these parts of the world.

5. 

   12 Dec 2024

   Curtis Law in Buenos Aires

   Curtis Law partners and lawyers in Buenos Aires, including Fernando Tupa, Laura Ocampo, and Esteban Daireaux, share insights on the unique opportunities and challenges of a career in law in Argentina's multicultural capital city.

6. 

   14 Oct 2024

   Curtis Law in Rome

   In the first of two episodes from Italy, Kate is in Rome to meet the team at their office, inside a heritage building on Piazza Venezia. The lawyers here have expertise in diverse areas from data privacy to renewable energy, VC investments and art law. • Data protection and cyber law specialist Gaia Morelli – argues that the ‘digital native’ position occupied by early career lawyers puts them in an ideal position to practice technology and corporate law, across areas like AI and cybersecurity. • Real estate and finance partner Sergio Esposito Farber gives a window into the fascinating - and singular - world of Roman real estate and art law, and has advice for any young lawyer on identifying the kind of practice you want, and making it happen; and • Corporate Carmine Gravina explains how Curtis’s work with venture capital clients can move at astonishing pace and shares some stories about the intricacies of renewable energy deals in the African desert.

7. 

   14 Oct 2024

   Curtis Law In New York

   This episode, Kate is in Curtis’ headquarters in New York, the city where it was founded nearly 200 years ago. Today, Curtis occupies several floors of a prestigious heritage building just a few steps from Grand Central Station. As you’d expect of the firm’s headquarters, and the largest of all Curtis offices, it has the full range of international and U.S. practice areas. · Susan Maples, energy lawyer on the lure of the mega-deal, oil and gas work, representing African governments and how unexpectedly her career has turned out, with advice on what to think about · Jason Wright, former military lawyer talks litigation, economic warfare (sanctions law), how his time as a JAG (judge advocate) in the U.S. army has informed his practice, and shares some advice for young lawyers; and · Jonathan Walsh, co-managing partner and the firm’s compliance partner talks on New York litigation, acting for Brazilian clients, professional services litigation, representing the boxing promoter, Don King over decades and other surprising clients firm clients · Corporate lawyer and co-managing partner, Val Hing talks about the international flavor of her broadly based corporate practice. She advises on corporate, commercial, finance, corporate finance and even some regulatory. She also explains why pro bono publico work is an important part of her professional life and how the firm supports that.

8. 

   14 Oct 2024

   Curtis Law in Milan

   In the second episode from Italy, Kate visits Curtis’ Milan office located in one of the stunning historic neighbourhoods, stone throw away from Milan’s architectural landmark, the Duomo. Here she chats with four of the partners, each with fascinating backgrounds in fashion, litigation, corporate and the firm’s staple international arbitration: • Fashion lawyer Daniela Della Rosa on how commercial, contract, M&A and IP law all play a role in her work as a fashion lawyer – and advice to those hoping to specialise in the area themselves. • Litigator Edoardo Zucchelli on the vital role of teamwork in helping clients from very different culture to navigate international trade law, including EU and UN sanctions work; • Corporate international and private equity lawyer Paolo Cocchini on the travel and social elements of working at Curtis, and on cooperating on building a practice with other offices; and • International arbitration lawyer Irene Petrelli – leader of Curtis’s Italian arbitration team – on how culturally diverse colleagues from a range of legal backgrounds give an edge to the firm’s international arbitration advice, as well as enhancing her life at work.

9. 

   14 Oct 2024

   Curtis Law in London

   Kate is on her home turf this time, introducing some of the partners in Curtis’s [brand new office space] in London , situated in the heart of the City of London. With London being a key hub for international work, lawyers here specialize in energy, oil and gas, public international law, funds with clients far and wide including the MENA region. • Investment funds lawyer, Karl Behrouz started life at Curtis as a trainee, left for a spell in house and is now back as partner in the corporate group, where he oversees work allocation to associates and trainees. He shares how leaving for a spell in-house shifted his perspective, and gives sound advice for anyone thinking about a legal career; • Luciana Ricart, author and partner in Curtis’ public international law and international arbitration practices, explains the huge range of disciplines within her work. Such as sovereignty disputes, treaty interpretation and the implementation of international humanitarian law;

10. 

    10 Oct 2024

    Washington DC

    The Whitehouse is moments from Curtis’s Washington DC office – and host Kate is there to speak with managing partner Claudia Frutos Peterson, who teaches international commercial and investment arbitration alongside her thriving practice, and Dan Porter, who leads the firm’s elite international trade practice. Claudia explains the attraction for young attorneys of these dynamic areas of the law and why advising sovereign clients is particularly interesting . How the international nature of a firm like Curtis sits perfectly in DC – where life is truly multicultural and multilingual. Dan focuses on both advisory and litigation trade work. He describes working at the intersection of trade policy and politics. In an election year, his focus is on advising international clients into the U.S. on the likely implications of a change in administration. On Tour with Curtis is a Fresh Air production. The producer is Jack Soper.

11. 

    22 Aug 2024

    Introducing On Tour with Curtis: Inside an International Law Firm

    Are you considering a career in the law? Join host Kate Fairweather for an insight into working in a unique law firm, which combines a storied tradition with an international outlook and entrepreneurial smarts. Meet our lawyers and find out what they think of Curtis and what it’s like to build a practice here.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 16 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

33

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

Contact On Tour with Curtis: Inside an International Law Firm

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.