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Interview with Judge Vince Chhabria on Khurram's Quorum
Judge Vince Chhabria is a district court judge in the Northern District of California. When I shared with previous podcast guests I was interviewing Judge Chhabria, they were excited - these experienced litigators think of Judge Chhabria as “insightful”, “focused”, and “prepared”. This is a rare opportunity to learn how an influential judge thinks.
Judge Chhabria and I talked about:
- his unexpected path from the office of the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office to the bench, any why city attorney roles are so valuable.
- the surprising impact of case management on justice, and how few motions are decided by precedent
- what keeps the job interesting 11 years into the role
- why moving cases forward is an underrated part of public service
- the “memdispo” technique that efficiently allocates judicial resources to opinions
- what he misses most about not being a federal judge
- his most important career advice for his clerks
We also discuss how he researched and considered precedent for the recent Kadrey v. Meta decision on fair use in generative AI.
Any lawyer looking for an original approach to career decisions and how they practice should listen to this episode.
We’re hiring
My wife and I run a legal recruiting agency working with elite law firms and lawyers nationwide. We’re hiring a Director of Operations.
Let me know if you know of someone who could be a fit, description below.
What makes this role different:
This business is operations-driven. Our processes generate data → data creates insights → insights guide our clients.
In this role, you’ll own outcomes, not just tasks.
This role evolves with impact. As you grow, your responsibilities and compensation grow with you.
We’re still in early days, which means you will have a measurable impact.
What makes us different:
This is a high-performing, lean legal recruiting agency. You’re joining a founder-led team - we’re all in on this business, and we’re very focused on our craft.
We have strong outcomes - we’ve made 13 placements this year at elite firms like Latham, Quinn, Ropes - (see the full list in the “About” section of my LinkedIn profile).
What you’ll own:
Coordinate communication and scheduling between law firms and candidates
Prepare research and briefing materials for partner meetings
Manage inboxes, templates, and communication workflows to keep recruiters focused
Analyze performance data and generate insights that improve recruiting outcomes
Who you are:
You’re organized, resourceful, and persistent
You think in systems and enjoy refining processes
You’re curious about AI, automation, and how data drives growth
You value a high volume of communication and fast feedback loops
You have a vision for your own growth and want a role that grows with you
What we offer:
remote-first with structured schedules (not “always-on” culture)
hourly compensation based on experience
performance bonuses aligned with business outcomes
a paid trial engagement to ensure mutual fit
an environment that treats work as a craft
If this sounds like the kind of role where you’d thrive, complete the form here. We review every application.