An Nguyen Ruda Discusses Building Authentic Culture at Bartko Pavia LLP

In a revealing conversation on the Legal Late Night podcast, An Nguyen Ruda, CEO and Co-Managing Partner of Bartko Pavia LLP, shared her unconventional approach to building one of California's most dynamic boutique litigation firms.

Ruda's leadership philosophy centers on authenticity rather than corporate catchphrases. She introduced her framework for workplace relationships: "special friends" (your trusted confidant), "homies" (colleagues you work well with), and mentors (relationships that must develop organically, never assigned). This candid taxonomy resonated with legal professionals tired of forced workplace friendship narratives.

On the subject of transparency, Ruda practices what big law often only preaches. Bartko Pavia generates comprehensive compensation statements detailing base salary, bonuses, and benefits costs while openly sharing the firm's monthly overhead. "I'm trying to create a culture where it's everybody's problem," Ruda explains, fostering business literacy throughout the organization.

When discussing diversity, equity, and inclusion, Ruda offers a provocative perspective. Bartko Pavia intentionally omits DEI branding from its website, yet maintains substantial diversity through results-focused hiring practices. Ruda critiques the performative nature of corporate DEI initiatives, arguing that authentic inclusion emerges from merit-based culture and genuine opportunity rather than checkbox exercises.

Looking toward the legal industry's technological transformation, Ruda embraces the concept of the "human premium"—credited to Scott Brennan of Cogent Legal. She argues that in an AI-saturated market, human lawyers must deliver premium value through interpersonal connections, judgment, and concierge-level service. "If you're a human being, your ass better be the Ritz Carlton," she states. "People will pay for the human premium."

The full interview explores Ruda's journey from English literature major (with an emphasis in African postcolonial studies) to law firm CEO, her mentorship experiences, and her strategic implementation of AI tools including Billable AI and Connect AI for HR assistance.

Listen to the complete interview here: