25: From Almost High School Dropout to Stanford Law to Fighting for All Of Us: Using Legal Skills as a Force for Good, with Luke Liss

25: From Almost High School Dropout to Stanford Law to Fighting for All Of Us: Using Legal Skills as a Force for Good, with Luke Liss

From What Do You Mean By That? by Sara and Misasha

May 5, 2026 · 34 min

About this episode

Luke Liss shares his journey from a challenging high school experience to becoming a lawyer at Stanford Law and emphasizes the importance of mentorship and community involvement in fighting for justice.

What if the thing holding back justice isn't lack of will — it's lack of access? Today's guest is doing something about that after coming up from a really rough time in high school, a near-fatal car crash, a parent who believed in him endlessly, and ending up not only at Stanford Law but also with one of the most powerful mentors in the field of law. For those of you who - like Sara - have liked to tease lawyers for being miserable people with secret languages, this episode brings the absolute best in the field to rehabilitate that image, infuse us with hope and humanity, and remind us that, even if we're not lawyers, there is a LOT we can each do to make the world a better place. What to listen for: Transformation is rarely linear — and patience is the secret ingredient. And a message for parents of struggling teens: believe in them relentlessly, even when they make it hard, because knowing someone is in your corner can be the difference that keeps a young person from going over the edge. Mentorship is a two-way street. Luke describes his decades-long relationship with trailblazing attorney Harry Bremond, who shaped him both professionally and personally — but he's clear that…

People in this episode

Hosts: Sara, Misasha

Guest: Luke Liss

Topics covered

  • justice
  • mentorship
  • transformation
  • community engagement
  • education

Keywords

  • justice
  • mentorship
  • Stanford Law
  • community
  • transformation
  • education
  • high school dropout

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Stanford Law

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