What does it take to protect the world’s most powerful financial institution for nearly three decades?

In the fifth episode of Earn The Right, Apoorv Agarwal sits down with Greg Palm, the legendary former General Counsel of Goldman Sachs. The story of this small-town bred lawyer is a striking departure from the typical Wall Street pedigree.

Growing up in Chenango Bridge, New York, Greg was the son of parents who never attended college. His path was paved by merit and curiosity, sparked by the national push for science education following the launch of Sputnik.

He attended MIT on a scholarship before completing a joint JD/MBA at Harvard. Before joining Goldman, Greg honed his legal expertise as a clerk for Hon. Judge Henry Friendly and Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr., followed by a prestigious partnership at Sullivan & Cromwell.

Over a 27-year tenure spanning five CEOs, Greg served as Goldman Sachs’ top lawyer, navigating the bank through its 1999 IPO, the 2008 financial crisis, and aggressive regulatory battles. This conversation provides unparalleled insight into high-stakes leadership, the intersection of law and business, and building structural integrity when the global economy is on the brink of collapse.

In this episode, we explore:

• The 2008 Financial Crisis: A behind-the-scenes look at survival strategies, the Abacus settlement, and the emotional weight of leading through a black swan event.

• The Power of Focus over Networking: Why Greg considers himself an outlier who prioritized merit and deep work over intentional networking early in his career.

• From Theory to High Stakes: How a student of theoretical physics and economics at MIT became one of the architects of the modern Goldman Sachs Group.

• Investing in the Unknown: Why a lawyer now bets on the future of space and biology to keep his mind sharp.

• Empowering Autonomy: Greg’s philosophy on building a massive legal department by hiring partners who refuse to be looked over their shoulder.

• The Myth of Gordon Gekko: Why the sleazy Wall Street stereotypes portrayed in movies couldn’t be further from reality.

For more deep dives into the crucial decisions and character-defining moments of world-class leaders, subscribe to Earn The Right.