In this episode of Legal Late Night, we sit down with An Ruda, CEO and co-managing partner of Barko Pavia, LLP, to discuss why human judgment is the ultimate “flex” in an AI-driven world. From representing 19th-century railroads to redefining modern firm culture, Ruda shares how she built a powerhouse practice without the “performative” fluff.
We kick things off with a candid monologue on the bane of every attorney’s existence: the inbox. While many firms still rely on antiquated subfolder systems, the “Late Night” approach involves moving beyond passive observation. Correia advocates for treating the inbox as a relational database, integrating it with CRM tools, and utilizing the David Allen “Getting Things Done” (GTD) system.
If a response takes less than two minutes, do it. If not, it’s a task for the calendar or a project for a management tool like OneNote. The goal isn’t just “Inbox Zero”—it’s reducing the mental bandwidth consumed by digital clutter.
An Ruda’s journey to the top of Barko Pavia, LLP began at UC Berkeley with a degree in African Post-Colonial studies—a path she jokingly describes as “totally useful.” After a failed interview for a radio receptionist job (due to a slight “embellishment” regarding her Microsoft Office skills), Ruda pivoted to law.
Her early days were spent in the “old school” world of railroad litigation, where her first mentor, Clyde Hutchinson, once had a colleague haze her during a deposition the day after she was sworn in. It was a “free-range” education that taught her the value of making mistakes early and often.
At Barko Pavia, LLP, Ruda has cultivated a unique cultural lexicon. She identifies three tiers of workplace relationships:
Special Friends: Your “ride or die.” The one person you can complain to and trust completely.
The Homies: Your broader network of colleagues you enjoy working with and supporting.
Mentors: An organic, chemistry-based relationship that cannot be assigned by an HR department.
Ruda argues that the modern trend of jumping firms for a $40k raises often sacrifices these vital connections. She herself famously took a massive pay cut early in her career just to keep working with a mentor she trusted.
Touching the “third rail” of legal discourse, Ruda is candid about her stance on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. While many big law firms use “brown faces on a webpage” as content, Ruda focuses on action over labels. You won’t find a DEI page on the Barko Pavia, LLP website, but you will find a firm teeming with non-dominant culture professionals who are encouraged to “take the swag.”
“I tell people: they’re going to think you’re not as good. Don’t be mad about it. Just be better,” Ruda says. Her leadership style involves pushing young associates—particularly women and attorneys of color—to sign their own motions and argue their own cases rather than hiding behind a partner’s signature.
When it comes to Artificial Intelligence, Ruda is an enthusiast, not a skeptic. The firm is already rolling out tools like Billables AI and Konnect AI (an HR assistant). However, she views these as tools to clear the “mundane” so humans can focus on being a “premium product.”
In her view, if your legal service is “Motel 6,” a robot can replace you. If you provide a “Ritz Carlton” experience defined by connection and concierge-level judgment, you become indispensable.
Ready to find your professional spark? To learn more about An and her team’s work, visit Barko Pavia, LLP. Be sure to visit Legal Broadcasting Company often for our latest podcasts. If your law firm needs its own “perfect reset,” contact Red Cave Law Firm Consulting today.
Ruda looks at the total compensation package—including health insurance (which can cost $4,000/month for a family) and 401k contributions—and aims for revenue generation that is three times that total cost.
She observes that women often ask for pay cuts out of a sense of responsibility toward their billable targets, whereas men rarely do. She encourages them to maintain their “swagger” and manage their schedules without preemptively sacrificing their compensation.
Ruda believes in the “common enemy” theory. By viewing legal cases as games and opposing counsel as competitors, firm members bond as a cohesive team to defeat a foe.
