Lisa Rubin is an American legal correspondent, analyst and former attorney. She is best known as a senior legal reporter for MSNBC and NBC News, covering major court cases such as the Trump trials. Rubin spent over a decade as a corporate lawyer before switching to media. As of 2024 she is about 47 years old and often refers to herself as a “baby journalist” after a long career in law.
Lisa Rubin uses her litigation background to explain courtroom proceedings on TV. In 2024 she became one of MSNBC’s primary on-the-ground reporters, relaying vivid courtroom details from trials that are closed to cameras. Because these high-profile trials aren’t televised, Rubin says it’s her role to “bring all of those vivid details to people’s living rooms” — translating court happenings into clear, understandable reports for viewers.
Early Life and Education
Lisa Rubin grew up in California. She has said both of her parents worked in public schools in suburban Los Angeles. From an early age she was active in debating and social causes. Rubin earned her bachelor’s degree in political science at Stanford University in 1998, along with a master’s degree in organizational behavior. Two weeks after graduating she moved to Washington, D.C., to work in Congress as an aide to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and then Representative Nita Lowey. Rubin later attended Yale Law School with the intention of helping victims of domestic violence; she graduated from Yale Law in 2004. After law school she clerked for a federal judge and then joined a major New York law firm as a litigator.
Legal Career (Corporate Law)
After Yale, Rubin entered private practice in New York City. She became a litigation associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP – one of “the heady world of private practice” in corporate law. Rubin has described those years as grueling: 80-hour workweeks, drafting briefs for senior partners, and constant competitive pressure. She married her Stanford college classmate, attorney Jon Oram, during this period (Oram later became a partner at Proskauer Rose). The couple also had two daughters. Around age 40, while juggling work and family, Rubin found herself questioning whether she was living up to her early goals as a lawyer. In early 2018 she decided to leave her firm. By that time she had also served over a decade on the board of Planned Parenthood of New York City, reflecting her long-standing interest in women’s rights and social justice.
Rubin’s exit from law was dramatic: “The world had enough smart, strategic litigators for hire, but I wasn’t living the values I claimed as my own,” she later told Vanity Fair. She walked out of her “white-shoe” firm in January 2018, leaving corporate law without another job lined up. In the following year, Rubin explored new career paths while continuing advocacy work. She resigned from the Planned Parenthood board as part of taking a new job in television.
Media Career and MSNBC
A pivotal opportunity arose when MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow sought a legal consultant with litigation experience for The Rachel Maddow Show. In 2019 Rubin was hired as an off-air legal producer and consultant for Maddow’s team. (She joked later that she had told Maddow’s producers “Oh God, no” when asked if she ever wanted to be on camera.) Working at 30 Rockefeller Center rekindled Rubin’s passion for public engagement with law: she found the experience intellectually stimulating, comparing Maddow’s production meetings to “Socratic dialogues” that helped her explain complex legal concepts to a broad audience.
As the Trump-related court cases dominated news, Rubin began writing blog posts and articles for MSNBC.com (for example, on Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson and the Roe v. Wade decision leak). In 2022, the network started putting Rubin on the air as a legal commentator. She first appeared on TV during summer 2022, and her insightful reporting quickly made her a frequent guest on many MSNBC programs. Within a year she transitioned from behind-the-scenes producer to on-air correspondent. Early in 2024 MSNBC promoted her to legal correspondent, sending her to cover trials in person. By mid-2024 she had given hundreds of live reports (MSNBC tallied over 275 shots in a five-month span). Rubin often reports for shows like The Beat with Ari Melber, The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, Morning Joe, and Alex Wagner Tonight, among others. She also featured as a primary voice in MSNBC’s June 2024 special “Prosecuting Donald Trump: Witness to History.”
Rubin leverages her background as a litigator when analyzing cases on air. She has praised MSNBC’s veteran anchors and legal analysts, noting she once used them as sources when she worked for Maddow. In June 2024, Vanity Fair noted that despite being a newcomer to TV, Rubin had “taken off like a rocket” by becoming a favorite among the network’s audience. Her detailed courtroom descriptions even drew appreciative comments on social media, with fans thanking her for being their “eyes and ears” in the courtroom.
Personal Life
Rubin is married to Jon Oram, an attorney (they met at Stanford). They live in New York City with their two daughters. Other personal details like her exact age, height, or net worth are not publicly available. Rubin is known to be a private person regarding family; she rarely discusses her children in media interviews. Her focus remains on her work as a legal reporter.
Social Media Presence
Lisa Rubin maintains an active social media presence to complement her on-air work. She tweets under the handle @lawofruby and has a substantial following on X (formerly Twitter). Her Twitter bio identifies her as a “Senior Legal Reporter & recovering litigator” at MSNBC. Rubin also posts on Instagram (@lawofruby), where she shares behind-the-scenes photos and quick takeaways on current legal news. While exact follower counts fluctuate, she is considered a prominent, trusted voice on digital platforms for legal analysis.
Public Profile and Search Interest
Rubin’s public profile rose sharply due to her coverage of high-profile legal cases. Google searches for her name often peak during major trials or Supreme Court hearings. Articles profiling her (such as Vanity Fair’s May 2024 feature) highlight her unique background. People commonly wonder about her career shift from law to media, her educational credentials, and her family life. Because she became well-known relatively recently, comprehensive information can be limited. Most available details come from interviews and media pieces. Verified facts—like her Stanford and Yale education and roles at NBC/MSNBC—are emphasized.
FAQ
- Who is Lisa Rubin? Lisa Rubin is a former corporate attorney turned TV legal reporter. She is a Senior Legal Correspondent for MSNBC/NBC News, known for on-site trial coverage and legal analysis in the media.
- What did Lisa Rubin do before TV? She worked as a litigation lawyer in New York City, including at the firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She also served on the board of Planned Parenthood of New York City for over a decade.
- What is Lisa Rubin’s education? Rubin earned a B.A. (with a master’s in organizational behavior) at Stanford University in 1998 and graduated from Yale Law School in 2004.
- Is Lisa Rubin married? Yes. She is married to Jon Oram, an attorney (her Stanford classmate). They have two children (daughters).
- How old is Lisa Rubin? Sources indicate she was about 47 years old in 2024. Her exact birthdate has not been published.
- What is her net worth? No reliable public information is available on Lisa Rubin’s net worth.
- What media does Lisa Rubin appear on? Rubin frequently appears on MSNBC programs (such as The Beat, The Last Word, Morning Joe, Alex Wagner Tonight, etc.) and contributes to NBC News coverage. She also writes for MSNBC’s website.
- Why was her career change notable? Rubin’s switch from high-powered corporate law to a media career is relatively uncommon. It has attracted attention, as she herself calls it a “fortuitous pivot.” Profiles note that she used her legal training in her new role and now helps educate the public about the justice system.
Conclusion
Lisa Rubin’s biography illustrates how a successful career need not follow a straight line. Today she blends deep legal expertise with journalistic skills to inform viewers about complex trials. Although she arrived in television later in life, her reporting has made her a respected voice in legal news coverage. As Rubin continues covering new cases, her profile may grow further. Readers interested in her work can follow her reports on MSNBC and NBC News, or check her social media for updates on ongoing legal stories.
Sources: Verified information about Rubin’s life and career comes from reputable interviews and news articles. Wherever possible, specific facts are supported by published sources. If certain personal details (age, net worth, etc.) are not publicly documented, they have been noted as unknown.
Cover photo: SWinxy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons