When
law
meets
theater,
the
result
is
a
whirlwind
of
humor,
absurdity,
and
hard-hitting
truths.
In
“Dirty
Legal
Secrets:
Based
in
True
Startups,”
director
and
co-producer
Jianing
Zhao
—
fresh
from
law
school
graduation
—
melds
her
legal
expertise
with
her
passion
for
storytelling.
This
isn’t
just
another
startup
drama.
With
a
sharp
eye
for
the
intricacies
of
law,
tech,
and
gender
dynamics,
Zhao
brings
a
fresh,
comedic,
and
thought-provoking
look
at
the
real-world
chaos
behind
startup
culture.
I
sat
down
with
Jianing
to
explore
how
her
legal
training
shaped
the
play,
how
humor
exposes
the
truth,
and
why
representation
on
stage
—
and
behind
the
scenes
—
matters
now
more
than
ever.
Olga
V.
Mack:
Jianing,
thank
you
for
joining
me!
So
let’s
dive
right
in.
“Dirty
Legal
Secrets”
is
an
intriguing
title
for
a
play.
I
understand
you’re
fresh
out
of
Cornell
Law
and
just
took
the
bar
exam.
How
did
your
legal
training
inform
your
approach
to
directing
this
production?
Did
it
add
a
unique
flavor
to
how
you
shaped
the
play?
Jianing
Zhao:
Absolutely,
Olga!
Directing
this
play
fresh
out
of
law
school
has
been
a
unique
experience.
I
studied
theater
in
undergrad
at
Princeton,
and
while
pursuing
my
JD
from
Cornell
Law,
I
co-founded
Cellunova
Productions
with
a
group
of
fellow
immigrant
artists
in
NYC
—
each
with
a
professional
background
outside
of
theater.
This
interdisciplinary
approach
is
what
makes
our
storytelling
multifaceted,
allowing
us
to
tackle
complex
social
issues
from
fresh
angles.
“Dirty
Legal
Secrets”
is
the
fourth
professional
play
I
directed,
and
the
third
full
production
I
co-produced
at
Cellunova.
Of
course,
my
legal
training
did
help
me
get
a
solid
grasp
of
Sarah’s
brilliant
script,
especially
when
it
comes
to
the
role
of
a
general
counsel
or
the
intricacies
of
confidentiality
rules
in
a
startup.
But
the
real
connection
between
law
and
theater
goes
beyond
that.
Both
disciplines
are
about
storytelling,
giving
voice
to
the
voiceless,
and
representing
the
underrepresented.
I
focus
on
balancing
humor
and
nuance,
making
sure
that
the
essence
of
the
characters
and
their
situations
come
through
authentically.
My
goal
was
to
ensure
that
the
audience
finds
both
laughter
and
deeper
reflections
on
the
true
stories
behind
these
characters.
OVM:
That’s
fascinating
—
especially
the
parallel
between
law
and
theater
as
tools
for
giving
a
voice
to
those
who
might
otherwise
go
unheard.
Speaking
of
balance,
legal
issues
—
particularly
in
startups
—
can
be
pretty
heavy
and
high-stakes.
How
do
you
keep
the
play
funny
while
dealing
with
such
serious
themes?
What
role
does
humor
play
in
revealing
truths
about
the
legal
profession?
JZ:
Humor
is
essential!
It’s
such
a
powerful
tool
for
connecting
people.
Everyone
loves
a
good
laugh,
right?
More
importantly,
humor
puts
the
audience
in
a
relaxed,
receptive
mood,
which
helps
them
absorb
topics
they
might
otherwise
shy
away
from.
The
script,
based
on
real
stories,
highlights
funny,
crazy,
and
sometimes
troubling
situations
that
employees
have
encountered
in
both
law
and
tech
startups.
In
my
directing,
I
try
to
distinguish
the
somber
moments
from
the
more
absurd
comedic
ones.
I
guide
the
actors
to
reflect
on
why
their
characters
are
telling
these
stories
and
what
emotions
are
driving
them.
For
audience
members
with
a
legal
background,
I
want
these
moments
to
hit
close
to
home
—
the
frustrations
with
the
legal
system,
the
absurdities
we
all
know
too
well.
But
it’s
also
important
for
these
stories
to
feel
relatable
to
everyone,
regardless
of
their
professional
background.
We’ve
embraced
a
wide
array
of
comedic
styles
—
physical
comedy,
standup,
improv,
sketch,
and
even
audience
interactions.
With
creative
props
and
costumes,
we’ve
crafted
a
hilarious
and
thought-provoking
experience
for
anyone
who’s
ever
stepped
foot
into
a
workplace
or
hopes
to.
You
don’t
need
to
be
a
lawyer
to
laugh
—
or
to
learn
something
along
the
way.
OVM:
It
sounds
like
you’ve
created
a
show
that’s
both
hilarious
and
insightful,
which
is
no
small
feat.
Now,
both
you
and
your
team
have
experience
in
male-dominated
spaces
like
law
and
tech.
How
does
“Dirty
Legal
Secrets”
address
the
gender
dynamics
or
social
issues
within
these
industries?
JZ:
This
is
something
I
care
about
deeply.
Before
law
school,
I
worked
at
a
fintech
startup
where,
at
the
start,
I
was
the
only
woman
on
the
team.
It
could
feel
isolating,
and
I
wished
for
colleagues
or
mentors
who
shared
my
background.
Even
now,
as
we
both
know,
law
firms
are
still
struggling
with
diversity
—
fewer
than
5%
of
law
firm
partners
are
women
of
color,
according
to
NALP’s
2023
stats.
For
me,
representation
is
key.
It’s
not
just
about
telling
these
stories
on
stage
—
it’s
about
showing
up,
taking
up
space,
and
making
our
presence
known.
That’s
what
“Dirty
Legal
Secrets”
does.
The
script
addresses
problematic
gender
dynamics
in
law
and
tech,
but
we’ve
also
been
intentional
about
representation
in
our
production
process.
The
majority
of
our
cast
is
female
or
nonbinary,
as
well
as
people
of
color.
And
our
production
team
at
Cellunova
Productions?
Also
majority
women
of
color.
The
message
is
clear:
we’re
here,
we’re
speaking,
and
these
are
our
stories.
This
play
is
about
more
than
just
exposing
the
dirty
secrets
of
the
startup
world.
It’s
also
about
saying,
as
minorities
in
tech,
law,
and
theater
—
“Look
at
us.
Listen
to
us.
This
is
our
story.”
OVM:
I
love
that
message
—
so
powerful
and
important!
It’s
wonderful
to
see
that
you’re
not
only
telling
these
stories
but
also
living
the
values
of
inclusion
and
representation
through
the
entire
production
process.
Jianing,
thank
you
so
much
for
taking
the
time
to
share
your
journey
and
insights
with
us.
I
can’t
wait
for
everyone
to
experience
“Dirty
Legal
Secrets”!
JZ:
Thank
you,
Olga!
I’m
excited
for
people
to
see
it
and
hopefully
walk
away
with
both
laughs
and
some
new
perspectives.
As
“Dirty
Legal
Secrets”
takes
the
stage,
it’s
clear
that
this
is
more
than
just
a
play
about
the
pitfalls
of
startups
and
legal
gray
areas
—
it’s
a
reflection
of
the
complex,
often
messy
world
we
live
in.
With
a
mix
of
sharp
wit,
laugh-out-loud
moments,
and
deeper
truths,
Jianing
Zhao
has
created
a
production
that
speaks
to
anyone
who’s
ever
been
part
of
a
workplace,
legal
or
otherwise.
Whether
you’re
a
lawyer,
a
tech
enthusiast,
or
simply
someone
who
loves
a
good
story,
“Dirty
Legal
Secrets”
promises
to
entertain,
challenge,
and
leave
you
reflecting
long
after
the
final
bow.
The
show
runs
through
October
27
at
Room
52
(212
East
52nd
Street,
New
York,
NY).
So,
get
your
tickets,
because
this
is
one
legal
drama
you
won’t
want
to
miss!
Olga
V.
Mack
is
a
Fellow
at
CodeX,
The
Stanford
Center
for
Legal
Informatics,
and
a
Generative
AI
Editor
at
law.MIT.
Olga
embraces
legal
innovation
and
had
dedicated
her
career
to
improving
and
shaping
the
future
of
law.
She
is
convinced
that
the
legal
profession
will
emerge
even
stronger,
more
resilient,
and
more
inclusive
than
before
by
embracing
technology.
Olga
is
also
an
award-winning
general
counsel,
operations
professional,
startup
advisor,
public
speaker,
adjunct
professor,
and
entrepreneur.
She
authored Get
on
Board:
Earning
Your
Ticket
to
a
Corporate
Board
Seat, Fundamentals
of
Smart
Contract
Security,
and Blockchain
Value:
Transforming
Business
Models,
Society,
and
Communities. She
is
working
on
three
books:
Visual
IQ
for
Lawyers
(ABA
2024), The
Rise
of
Product
Lawyers:
An
Analytical
Framework
to
Systematically
Advise
Your
Clients
Throughout
the
Product
Lifecycle
(Globe
Law
and
Business
2024),
and
Legal
Operations
in
the
Age
of
AI
and
Data
(Globe
Law
and
Business
2024).
You
can
follow
Olga
on
LinkedIn
and
Twitter
@olgavmack.