What Law School Never Taught: The Real Journey of a First-Gen Lawyer | Xavier Prescod

What if law school prepared you for everything except real life?

In this powerful episode of That One Lawyer™ Podcast, host Neal Goldstein sits down with Xavier Prescod — a first-generation lawyer who's rewriting what success looks like in the legal profession.

Born to immigrant parents from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Xavier grew up watching his mom work as a home health aide and his dad build homes as a carpenter. Today, he's building something of his own — a thriving career in insurance defense litigation at one of the top firms in the country.

But his path wasn't paved for him. From failing his first LSAT to being the only Black male student in his law school section, Xavier had to fight imposter syndrome, push through doubt, and learn how to succeed in a system not built for him.

This episode is raw, grounded, and deeply human — a must-listen for any lawyer who's ever questioned whether they belong.

Watch Full Video on YouTube HERE

---

🔍 What You'll Learn

✅ How to turn self-doubt into determination (and why failing the LSAT was the best thing that ever happened to him)
✅ The truth about being a first-generation lawyer in today's profession
✅ What law school should teach you — but doesn't
✅ How to build real relationships across generations in the legal field
✅ The role of mentors (like Judge Latia Martin) in shaping professional identity
✅ How to overcome feeling like the "only one in the room"
✅ What younger lawyers wish older lawyers understood — and vice versa
✅ The power of kindness, collaboration, and staying authentic in a competitive field
✅ How social media can humanize lawyers — and where it can go wrong

---

🔑 Topics We Cover

• Xavier's family story and early influences

• His LSAT journey and the moment he realized he could actually do this

• Navigating law school as one of the few minority students

• Finding belonging through friendship, mentorship, and hard work

• Lessons from clerking in Bronx Supreme Court

• The realities of working in insurance defense

• How firm culture can make or break young lawyers

• What his generation is getting right — and wrong — about work and life

• Why relationships are the future of the legal profession

• How Neal's "one stranger a day" rule can change your career trajectory

---

🧠 Who This Episode Is For

• First-generation lawyers finding their footing in law

• Law students navigating imposter syndrome

• Young attorneys figuring out firm culture and clie