Written by: Lexi Phillips
Long before law school, Jasmin knew the legal profession was where she belonged. As a member of her high school’s mock trial team, she developed an early foundation in advocacy that remained central during her undergraduate years at the University of California, San Diego, where she studied Political Science and minored in Law and Society. A year abroad in England expanded her academic perspective and prompted her to briefly consider pursuing a PhD before ultimately making the decision to attend law school. Just prior to entering Syracuse College of Law, she worked as a business process consultant for Accenture (formerly Anderson Consulting), an experience she credits as foundational to her in-house operational mindset today.
When it came time to choose a law school, a visit to Syracuse University’s campus solidified her decision. She was struck by the school’s collegiality and shared sense of purpose, which helped her build a community during her time there. Once at Syracuse, Jasmin took full advantage of every opportunity, writing onto the Syracuse Law Review and becoming a Lead Articles Editor, competing on the trial team, completing a federal judicial externship, and contributing to Professor Donna Arzt’s Lockerbie Trial project.
Along the way, several professors left a lasting impression on Jasmin. Professor William Banks, whose Constitutional Law course she counts among her favorites, sparked an enduring interest in questions of individual rights and due process, issues that continue to inform her employment and ethics work today. Professor Banks’ Constitutional Law class also taught Jasmin to embrace the unexpected. She recalls leaving his final exam convinced she had failed, only to later discover that she had set the curve. That experience taught her to not doubt her own ability and instincts as a lawyer. Meanwhile, Professor Peter Bell helped shape her analytical approach to the law, providing her with the skills she needed to “really start thinking like a lawyer.”
Beyond the classroom, Jasmin’s experience on the Syracuse Law Review proved to be invaluable. As Lead Articles Editor, she refined what she considers her most important professional skill: writing. Jasmin believes that becoming a strong editor is critical to becoming a strong writer. That belief paid off early in her career when a Harvard-educated judge, who was granting her summary judgment motion, started oral argument by openly praising her brief as one of the best he had ever read while on the bench. That kind of recognition, she says, made all the hard work worth it.
Over the first decade of her career, which started in New York City and ended up in California, Jasmin worked on complex commercial and employment litigation and arbitration, developing a reputation for sharp advocacy and strong writing. During that time, she tried three cases, including a federal bench trial, for larger-than-life clients. Jasmin describes her trial experiences as some of the hardest, most demanding, but rewarding times in her career.
After a decade of litigating, Jasmin made the decision to join American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (“Honda”) as in-house counsel, marking a major turning point and transformation in her career. At Honda, she gained the opportunities internally that fueled her transformation into the business-minded in-house lawyer she is today. Over the course of nine years, she served as the sole in-house employment attorney for six Honda corporate and sales-side companies, in addition to managing all commercial and employment litigation. Beyond her day-to-day, Jasmin said yes to every new opportunity even if it did not seem to lead to anything directly at the time. She managed large-scale projects in a variety of areas of compliance, negotiated commercial contracts, and supported the North American ethics and risk management functions as well as corporate governance. Jasmin learned that she could take on anything as an in-house lawyer by showing up fearless and with an insatiable curiosity—the same skills that made her an accomplished litigator and trial lawyer. A subsequent move to Snap, Inc., the parent company of the social media company Snapchat, introduced her to the fast-paced world of hypergrowth technology, expanding her experience and love of being within a dynamic, rapidly evolving corporate environment.
When Relativity Space later recruited her, Jasmin was immediately drawn to its initial audacious goal for aerospace innovation, stating, “If this company was going to really print rockets to fly in space using a 3D-printed machine . . . well, there was no way, I was not going to be part of that history.” In her close to four years with Relativity Space, Jasmin has held a variety of roles but has ultimately transformed into a leader helping scale within a new and innovative industry. It is only the beginning of the culmination of the past yeses to new and unexpected opportunities.
Throughout these transitions, Jasmin’s willingness to embrace growth and the unexpected continued to guide her. Her career moves, from lateraling to Snap to joining a rocket startup, reflect a principle that she has carried throughout her professional life: fulfilling work often comes to lawyers who have the courage to show up for new and unexpected opportunities, even when you do not know where it may lead you.
Drawing on her varied experiences, Jasmin offers thoughtful guidance for law students and young lawyers navigating their own paths. Recognizing that career paths are often unpredictable, she encourages students to take every class seriously, even those that seem remote or unexciting. Looking beyond law school, she advises young lawyers to embrace the early years of practice, which she describes as transformative. Although this period comes with a steep learning curve, she emphasizes that this stage ultimately fosters the confidence and skills that attorneys need to be successful in practice. Jasmin sees these early years as one of the most exciting chapters of a legal career—a time to deepen one’s subject area knowledge, master professional skills, and benefit from mentorship that shapes long-term success.
For those interested in eventually moving in-house, Jasmin highlights that early experience at a law firm provides invaluable training and experience. She stresses the importance of developing the fundamental skills of client service, writing, and mentorship during these formative years of practice. Jasmin credits her own first boss, whom she calls the most gifted legal writer she has ever encountered, for helping build the strong foundational skills to launch the start of her professional growth. She explains that law school provides analytical foundations, but the early years of practice cultivate the creative, on-your-feet thinking needed to solve real world problems, which is the foundation for a successful career.
Jasmin Morad Rinna’s path from accomplished litigator to navigating the legal frontiers of the NewSpace industry demonstrates an openness to learning and opportunity that has defined her career. She reflects on her trajectory with humor, noting that she never would have guessed in a million years, while sitting in law school classrooms, that she would one day be a startup lawyer at a NewSpace rocket company. Today, her journey serves as a testament to the principle that the most fulfilling careers are often built on continual learning, growth, and the courage to show up for new and unexpected opportunities.