In a Q&A as part of Law.com’s How I Made It series, Marshall Gerstein Partner Stephen Kudla shared lessons from his journey to law firm partnership, advice for younger attorneys, and his suggestions for avoiding burnout. Stephen, who was elevated to partnership in early 2025, practices in our firm’s Electrical & Computer Technologies practice, prosecuting patents for some of the most innovative technologies hitting the market.
When it comes to selecting Marshall Gerstein to establish his practice, Stephen told Law.com, “From the beginning, the client base at Marshall Gerstein stood out to me as very impressive. I wanted to serve sophisticated clients with their highly technical IP needs, and the firm had—and still has—an exceptional roster, particularly for our size. That was a major factor for me—I take pride in the quality and impact of my work, and having clients who value that level of technical rigor was essential. In hindsight, the most valuable aspect of this firm has turned out to be the people. I’ve been fortunate to work with colleagues who are collaborative, invested, and incredibly sharp. At the outset, that’s just harder to judge.”
Stephen also took the opportunity to highlight two partners at the firm for their influence on his career: Drew Bateman and Paul Stephens. “Drew pushed me to become a sharper thinker and a more effective communicator, especially in my writing. His guidance helped me develop core skills in legal reasoning and client advocacy. Paul’s influence has been broader; he helped shape how I carry myself as a professional, manage client relationships, and contribute to our firm’s culture.”
Subscribers to Law.com can read Stephen’s complete Q& here.