In this inspiring and anecdote-rich episode of The Litigator’s Edge, host Aniket Sawant sits down with Ruth Kraft, Yale Law graduate, former NYU professor, administrative law judge, and now founder of Kraft Employment Law Group.

From deciding at just four and a half years old that she wanted to become a lawyer to building a distinguished decades-long career across academia, the bench, and private practice, Ruth's journey is an exemplar of trailblazing impact, commitment, and lifelong learning.

She shares how she overcame early skepticism around gender, earned her place at elite institutions like Yale Law, and forged a career with mentorship, teaching, and service as its defining characteristics.

The conversation explores her transition to the bench, her role as a “teaching judge,” and the deeply personal decision to step away from judicial service to care for family, before returning to build a successful employment law practice.

Grounded in values shaped by her Holocaust-survivor parents, and sharing moving stories about their lives, Ruth reflects on ethics, reverence for the field, and advocacy for the rule of law.

In this episode:

- From preschool ambition to Yale Law

- Overcoming bias and barriers in the legal profession

- Life on the bench and becoming a teaching judge

- Transitioning back to private practice

- The role of ethics in legal decision-making

- Mentorship, teaching, and lifelong growth

If you're a lawyer, student, or professional thinking long-term about your career, this episode offers a powerful perspective on building a life in law.

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