LAKSHMI GOPAL
McLean,VA
Summary
Committed attorney and advocate with four years of experience litigating in state and federal courts, including litigating solo against large technology corporations for a teacher working in the gig economy. Five years of teaching experience with strong lecture and student engagement skills; instructed hundreds law students and dozens of high school students. Active bar member; organized and facilitated numerous panels, webinars, and projects for the American Bar Association; lifetime fellow of the American Bar Foundation; helped develop the ABA’s work on AI and economic justice. Languages. English (Native); French (C1); Hindi (B2); Malayalam (B2); German (B1).
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Staff Attorney
Amara Legal Center
04.2024 - Current
- Provide free, holistic, trauma-informed legal services to survivors of commercial sex;
- Conduct intake interviews and provided legal information, referrals and advocacy to determine potential courses of action
- Develop strategies to resolve cases in client's best interest
- Represent survivors in D.C Courts;
- Conduct know-your-rights training to spread awareness about human trafficking.
Instructor
Columbia University School of Professional Studies
01.2021 - Current
- Teach courses on comparative international human rights law for Columbia's pre-college program, Produced original and comprehensive course syllabi that connect students with current events, collaborate with other educators to develop innovative approaches to instruction, and build inclusive environment that celebrates diversity among all students.
Attorney, Sole Practitioner
Muciri Law PLLC
06.2020 - 04.2024
- Founded and managed solo law firm that served low-income individuals and businesses in the digital economy on issues related to privacy, employment, consumer, civil rights, business, constitutional, intellectual property, cyberspace, international, and comparative law
- Managed client intake, legal research, investigation, advising, contract drafting and negotiations, case preparation, and all aspects of litigation on state and federal matters
- Served as of counsel to assist in class discovery against well-known online medical services provider
- Attended hearings and drafted pretrial motions including motion for default judgement, motion compelling opposing party to appear in court, motions to amend, and motions opposing dismissal
- Filed and monitored EU and US federal trademarks
- Ensured firm cybersecurity and supervised 10 law student interns over a three-year period.
Lecturer & Senior Researcher
University of Halle-Wittenberg
07.2018 - 07.2020
- Instructed semester-long English-language law courses on US Constitutional and US Business Law for Department of Law and Economics; Managed classrooms with as many as 300 students receiving high approval ratings; Coached University’s Foreign Direct Investment and John H
- Jackson (WTO) Moot Court teams and taught international economic law to moot court students who were awarded best team and speakers during semi-final competitions.
Legal Stage
Judge Tamara Perišin, Court of Justice of the European Union
01.2019 - 03.2019
- Support analysis of five trademark decisions, prepared legal briefs in English and French; Analyzed three months of Court’s trademark decisions on absolute grounds for refusal of trademark registration to support Judge Perišin’s contribution to court-wide review; Organized in chamber conversations with leading judges and court staff.
Education
Juris Doctor -
University of Michigan Law School
Ann Arbor, MI05.2018
Master of Arts - undefined
Columbia University
New York, NY05.2013
Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts - undefined
Columbia University
New York, NY05.2011
Bachelor of Arts - Philosophy (Honors)
King’s College
London, United States07.2008
Skills
- Teaching
- Constitutional, Civil Rights, Business and International Law
- Case Analysis
- Litigation
- Legal advising
- Legal research and writing
- Policy Analysis
- Case Management
- Complex Investigation
- LexisNexis
- WestLaw
- CaseText
- Clio
- LawPay
- ChatGPT
- Microsoft Office, Google Suites, and Adobe
Certification
Licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C. and New York
Presentations
- Caste Equity Civil Rights Movement: California and Beyond: A Roundtable Discussion, 6th International Conference on the Unfinished Legacy of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Brandeis University, Oct. 22-23, 2023
- Legality of Caste Protections, Caste in Higher Education Conference, Columbia University, Oct. 14-15, 2022
- The role of the Abolition Movement on the formation of the American Constitutional tradition, Amending America's Unwritten Constitution conference, University of Texas, May 16-17, 2019
Bar Admissions
- New York, November 2019
- District of Columbia, February 2021
Bar Leadership And Volunteer Work
- Civil Rights & Social Justice, American Bar Association, Rights of Women Committee, Chair, September 2021, Present
- Business Law Today, Contributing Editor, Business and Rule of Law Series, June 2021, August 2023
- American Bar Association, Vice-Chair, Rule of Law Working Group, June 2021, August 2023
- American Bar Association, Member, Cybersecurity Legal Task Force, September 2023, August 2024
Awards
- Lifetime Fellow, American Bar Foundation
- S. Anthony Benton Memorial Award, Excellence in Constitutional & International Law 2018, Michigan Law School
- Certificate of Merit in Comparative Human Rights Law Fall 2016, Michigan Law School
- Certificate of Merit in International Tax Law Fall 2017, Michigan Law School
- Bicentennial Student Leader," January 2017, University of Michigan Central Student Government
Publications
- State Privacy Law Updates, The Business Lawyer, 79, 1, Winter 2023-4, Lakshmi Gopal
- Thirty Minutes to Help Advance the Rule of Law, Business Law Today, Aug. 16, 2023, Daniela F. Cimo, Lakshmi Gopal
- Understanding the Rule of Law in an Era of Rapid Technological Change, Business Law Today, Jul. 18, 2023, Lakshmi Gopal
- The Indian Bar Council Permits Foreign Lawyers and Firms to Register, Business Law Today, Mar. 31, 2023, Lakshmi Gopal
- Seattle Amends Anti-Discrimination Laws to Include Caste, Business Law Today, Mar. 31, 2023, Lakshmi Gopal
- State Privacy Law Updates, The Business Lawyer, 78, 1, Winter 2022-2023, Lakshmi Gopal
- India’s Latest Cybersecurity Directions Burden Businesses, Business Law Today, May 1, 2022, Lakshmi Gopal
- Facebook's Oversight Board & the Rule of Law, Business Law Today, Oct 12, 2021, Lakshmi Gopal
Timeline
Staff Attorney
Amara Legal Center
04.2024 - Current
Instructor
Columbia University School of Professional Studies
01.2021 - Current
Attorney, Sole Practitioner
Muciri Law PLLC
06.2020 - 04.2024
Legal Stage
Judge Tamara Perišin, Court of Justice of the European Union
01.2019 - 03.2019
Lecturer & Senior Researcher
University of Halle-Wittenberg
07.2018 - 07.2020
Juris Doctor -
University of Michigan Law School
Master of Arts - undefined
Columbia University
Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts - undefined
Columbia University
Bachelor of Arts - Philosophy (Honors)
King’s College