This Lawyer’s Life: Gregory Diskant, Big Law Leadership and Litigation

Today we meet Greg Diskant, a Senior Litigator at Patterson Belknap and former Chair of the firm. In this special episode, Greg is interviewed by City Bar President Muhammad Faridi, a Patterson colleague. They discuss key moments from Diskant's illustrious career, including his clerkship with Justice Thurgood Marshall and Judge Skelly Wright, his experiences as an assistant U.S. attorney, and his successful trial work in private practice. The conversation delves into leadership at the highest firm levels, handling the pressure of significant cases, and the joys of the intellectual demands that come with patent litigation. Greg also shares his experience co-authoring a recent, major City Bar report calling on Congress to pass a mandatory and enforceable code of ethics for the U.S. Supreme Court.  Read the report: The Supreme Court Needs a Mandatory and Enforceable Code of Ethics (https://www.nycbar.org/reports/the-supreme-court-needs-a-mandatory-and-enforceable-code-of-ethics/) Join a diverse network of over 23,000 colleagues—in private practice, public service, the judiciary, government, academia, in-house, and law school—who share membership and expand your personal and professional horizon. By becoming a member today, you help shape the future of the profession as a critical link in one of its most influential organizations: https://www.nycbar.org/member-committee-career-services/membership/  00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 02:25 Greg Diskant's Early Career and Influences 12:19 Insights into Trial Work 18:34 High-Profile Cases and Public Interest Litigation 26:09 Balancing Professional and Personal Life 32:08 Law Firm Leadership and Mentorship 36:53 Client Relations and Bet-the-Company Lawsuits 40:07 Pro Bono Work and Democracy Issues 42:38 Supreme Court Ethics and Reform 52:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts