Ropes & Gray Podcasts

In celebration of Latinx|Hispanic Heritage Month, Ropes & Gray presents a special podcast series featuring prominent Latinx and Hispanic clients who have had distinguished legal careers while also making significant contributions to their communities and working to advance diversity in the law. In this episode, Ropes & Gray litigation & enforcement associate Natalia Mercado Violand interviews Lola Velazquez-Aguilu, lead counsel of Medtronic’s Brain Modulation business, about her background, remarkable legal career, and commitment to diversifying the judiciary. Prior to joining Medtronic, Lola worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney with a focus on white collar prosecution. She has long been engaged in significant volunteer and pro bono efforts, including serving as Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s appointed Chair of the Commission on Judicial Selection. In addition, she was part of the team that successfully prosecuted Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd and is credited with her leadership in developing th