Legal
dramas
aren’t
just
confined
to
the
courtroom
or
our
favorite
TV
shows.
The
tech
startup
world,
brimming
with
secrecy,
scandal,
and
high-stakes
decisions,
provides
its
own
theater
of
legal
intrigue.
But
what
if
those
real-life
stories
—
often
whispered
behind
closed
doors
—
were
brought
to
the
stage?
Enter
“Dirty
Legal
Secrets:
Based
in
True
Startups,”
a
play
having
its
NYC
premiere
from
October
17
through
October
27,
2024.
The
show
marries
the
adrenaline
rush
of
startup
life
with
the
drama
of
legal
battles.
In
this
exclusive
interview,
I
sat
down
with
Sarah
Feingold,
co-creator
of
the
production
and
former
startup
GC,
to
dive
into
how
law
and
theater
collide,
creating
an
experience
that
entertains,
informs,
and
resonates
with
both
legal
insiders
and
tech
industry
veterans.
Olga
V.
Mack:
The
Legal
Twist:
What
inspired
you
to
combine
law
and
theater,
especially
the
tech
startup
world?
What
is
it
about
this
space
that
lends
itself
to
such
a
compelling
narrative?
Sarah
Feingold:
The
play
was
inspired
by
conversations
with
Michael
Weinberg.
Michael
and
I
are
both
former
startup
GCs,
and
we
share
a
love
of
the
theater.
We
love
diving
into
the
entertaining
and
heartbreaking
stories
that
startup
in-house
attorneys,
like
us,
are
forbidden
to
share.
We
wondered
if
we
could
combine
our
interests
and
create
something
unique.
We
put
out
a
call
for
anonymous
startup
legal-themed
stories,
and
we
were
floored
by
what
was
disclosed
to
us.
The
tales
were
theatrical!
That
spark
of
an
idea
led
to
the
play,
“Dirty
Legal
Secrets:
Based
in
True
Startups.”
OVM:
Art
Meets
Law:
You’ve
spent
years
as
an
attorney
and
legal
innovator
—
how
did
that
experience
influence
your
writing?
Did
you
find
yourself
processing
any
of
your
own
legal
career
through
this
project?
SF:
The
show
was
inspired
by
my
time
at
legal
departments
at
startups
(Etsy
and
Vroom)
and
my
years
of
laughing
and
commiserating
with
other
startup
attorneys.
When
things
go
wrong,
like
super
wrong,
the
lawyers
step
in.
Writing
is
cathartic
even
when
the
stories
are
not
mine.
I
feel
responsibility
to
those
who
trust
me
with
their
tales.
OVM:
Startup
Realities:
The
tech
startup
world
is
rife
with
drama,
secrecy,
and
scandal.
What
kind
of
real-life
situations
are
reflected
in
your
play?
How
much
of
this
production
is
based
on
your
own
experiences
or
things
you’ve
heard
in
the
industry?
SF:
The
show
is
based
on
real-life
startup
secrecy,
drama,
and
scandal.
Due
to
attorney-client
privilege,
my
startup
stories
must
stay
in
my
vault.
But
I
can
share
anonymous
tales
that
came
to
me
from
the
legal
industry.
And
those
stories
…
wow!
OVM:
The
Audience
Reaction:
You’ve
already
had
some
initial
shows.
How
have
audiences
responded
so
far?
Any
surprising
or
particularly
memorable
reactions
from
those
who
work
in
the
tech
or
legal
world?
SF:
The
audience
fuels
me.
After
the
last
production,
I
received
generous
feedback
from
people
who
saw
the
show.
I
assumed
that
the
louder
and
more
absurd
stories
would
stick.
I
was
surprised
that
some
of
the
more
subtle
moments
have
staying
power.
OVM:
From
Vision
to
Reality:
What
has
been
the
biggest
challenge
in
bringing
“Dirty
Legal
Secrets”
to
life?
As
someone
who
has
successfully
navigated
the
legal
world,
did
you
face
any
unique
legal
or
business
challenges
with
this
production?
SF:
Bringing
a
script
to
the
stage
feels
similar
to
bringing
a
startup
to
market.
You
must
believe
in
your
product
and
in
its
future.
Also,
you
need
thick
skin.
There
are
few
theaters
and
few
opportunities
for
new
playwrights.
Rejections
come
with
the
territory.
I
learned
so
much
about
the
entertainment
industry
and
the
ways
that
decisions
are
made.
OVM:
Looking
Ahead:
What
are
your
hopes
for
the
future
of
“Dirty
Legal
Secrets”?
Do
you
envision
it
expanding
beyond
New
York?
And
how
do
you
hope
it
will
impact
conversations
about
the
tech
startup
world
and
the
legal
profession?
SF:
I’m
hopeful,
delusional,
or
both.
Yes,
let’s
expand
this
production
beyond
our
run
from
October
17
–
October
27,
2024.
Let’s
expand
the
show
beyond
New
York.
I
hope
this
play
leaves
a
lasting
positive
impact
on
those
who
see
it.
I
hope
that
industry
insiders
help
to
propel
the
show
to
the
next
level.
We
are
also
having
talkbacks
to
dive
into
some
of
the
themes
in
the
show.
I
became
a
lawyer
because
of
my
belief
that
the
law
could
create
social
change.
I
learned
that
the
law
tends
to
be
clunky
and
slow.
Art
has
the
ability
to
break
through
the
noise
for
a
positive
impact.
“Dirty
Legal
Secrets”
runs
from
October
17
through
October
27
at
Room
52
in
New
York
City.
It
offers
more
than
just
a
glimpse
behind
the
curtain
of
tech
startups
—
it
challenges
us,
as
lawyers
and
professionals,
to
reconsider
the
untold
stories
lurking
in
our
own
industries.
It’s
a
reminder
that
law,
while
steeped
in
rules
and
confidentiality,
is
also
deeply
human
—
full
of
emotional
highs,
ethical
dilemmas,
and
moments
that
shape
careers
and
lives.
As
attorneys,
we
often
protect
the
most
delicate
narratives,
but
Sarah
Feingold’s
work
encourages
us
to
reflect:
What
would
happen
if
we
told
more
of
these
stories?
What
might
we
learn,
and
more
importantly,
how
might
we
grow?
The
law
isn’t
just
a
profession
—
it’s
a
stage,
and
each
of
us
has
a
part
to
play.
Are
you
ready
to
step
into
the
spotlight?
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.