Khaldoun Baghdadi on Finding Purpose in the Courtroom

In this episode of Raising the Bar with RebuttalPR, host Ray DeLorenzi sits down with Khaldoun Baghdadi, a partner at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger and one of California’s most respected trial lawyers.

Khaldoun shares how his early years as a first-generation Palestinian American shaped his path to law—and why understanding “how the rules work” drew him toward advocacy. He reflects on his first job out of law school, when working on evictons made him realize he was fighting for the wrong side, and how joining Walkup in 1998 set him on a career-long mission to represent people who truly need an advocate.

They talk about the culture of trial work at Walkup, the art of storytelling for a jury, and the fine line between being a technician and a tactician. Khaldoun also opens up about his teaching work at UC Berkeley and UC Law SF, his appointment to the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, and his role on the board of Shades of Mass, where he’s helping mentor the next generation of diverse trial lawyers.

Learn more about Khaldoun Baghdadi and Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger:

https://www.walkuplawoffice.com/attorneys/khaldoun-a-baghdadi/