Sampada "Sam" Kapoor recently led a presentation on Freedom in the Law for the Mississippi Humanities Council's "Ideas on Tap" Series. Ms. Kapoor gave the perspective of freedom through the lens of a litigator and discussed concepts of law and liberty.
She was joined by co-panelists Rob Hill (American Civil Legal Union or "ACLU" Director), Russ Latino (Business and Constitutional Lawyer), and Charles Taylor (political data analyst). The three panelists were chosen for their expertise and background in policy and/or law.
Ms. Kapoor was selected as a panelist due to her extensive experience in the law as a seasoned litigator. Ms. Kapoor is a 2017 graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law, where she graduated with distinction.
Ms. Kapoor currently works at Forman Watkins & Krutz, LLP, one of the premier law firms in Mississippi.
Up to recently, she was teaching simultaneously at the University of Mississippi School of Law, using a combination of legal research and litigation experience to connect law students with real-world cases.
Who Is Sampada "Sam" Kapoor?
Sam is a talented young attorney who has shown extraordinary competence in her short legal career. After getting full scholarships in both college and law school and graduating with distinction, Sampada has shown an equal amount of proficiency in her legal practice.
In just a short span of time, she has successfully defended large corporations, including Fortune 500 companies like Google, Chevron, International Paper Company, Georgia-Pacific, and Weyerhaeuser Company, among others.
Her legal prowess is also reflected in numerous awards that she has won both during her legal education time and her practice. In her firm Forman Watkins & Krutz, LLP, Sam was invited to become a senior associate.
Recently, Sam was listed in the 2023 Best Lawyers "Ones to Watch." list, which basically selects the best of the best lawyers in the USA who have been practicing law for less than 10 years.
This is just one feather on her hat, and she was also recognized by the Mid-South Super Lawyers as a "Rising Start" in the year 2020. She has been getting recognized for this title ever since 2020.
She was also recognized as one of the top 40 under 40 leaders in law by the Mississippi Bar Journal.
Serving On The Board of Directors of Mississippi Bar's Young Lawyer Division (2021-2022)
Sam has served on the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Bar Young Lawyers Division. Appointment to the board is done by the president of the Mississippi Bar and undergoes a rigorous process.
The Division plays a crucial role in the overall legal workings of the Bar and the Courts. Sam was appointed to the 'Budget and Fi Committee' of the Mississippi Bar as well as the High School Mock Trial Committee.
She actively worked on preparing and presenting the annual budget for the Mississippi Bar Board of Commissioners
Her role included other activities like budgeting for all projects of The Mississippi Bar, allocating funds to the Young Lawyers Division, special work committees, pro-bono activities, community outreach, as well as planning and funding the Mississippi Bar's annual conference in Sandestin, Florida.
Launching a Legal Pipeline Program For Minority Students
Sam has been experiencing a huge gap in terms of diversity in both law schools and legal firms. As a first-generation attorney, she experienced the challenges a student and lawyer faces during the start of their career and law school.
To address these challenges and contribute back to society, Sam designed a legal pipeline program at the local HBCU.
This program gives minority students the opportunities they need to enter law school and build promising legal careers.
This program is helping a lot of students, and in 2021 alone, 8 students were able to join reputed law schools with the help of this program. 3 of the 8 students were selected for Ivy League schools.
Going forward, Sam plans to further increase her societal contributions through student mentoring and pro bono volunteerism, along with building her labor and employment legal experience.