The Jabot

Kathryn interviewed Melinda, a Partner based in London, who focuses on the recruitment of partners into elite international firms in the UK and Europe. In the course of her 25-year career, she has placed hundreds of partners and partner-teams into AmLaw 100 and UK 20 firms and has launched numerous offices for law firm clients. She successfully represents candidates across a wide range of practice...

Kathryn interviewed experts Natalie E. Norfus and Shanté S. Gordon discussing the legal industry, the application of AI in legal research via Lexis Plus's new platform, and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Regarding burnout, Shanté advises identifying needs and seeking support. Natalie emphasizes realism in work allocation and setting work boundaries, particularly during the pande...

Kathryn interviewed Philippe Sands, who discussed his extensive law career including trade and human rights cases, his work on the Chagos Archipelago case for Mauritius, and his aim to humanize law through understanding case individuals. Philippe also provided insight into his role as a counsel for Samoa regarding nuclear weapons, diving into the realities of legal situations in international law....

Kathryn speaks with Tiffany Obeng, author and lawyer, who shares her journey into law and children's literature. Inspired to become a lawyer at a young age, she highlights the need for diverse portrayals of professions in children's literature, starting with her book 'Andrew Learns about Lawyers.' Tiffany challenges the notion that black boys don't enjoy reading, and despite criticism, remains com...

Kathryn speaks with Kelly Olivier and Allyson West, the founders of The Themis Group Trial by Women in Hale & Monico. They discussed their recent trial and its highs and lows. They remain committed despite a disappointing result. They also shared their future plans for Themis - to grow, reach more women, and serve as a powerful force for women's issues and rights. They adhere to the client-first a...

Kathryn speaks with Catherine Kemnitz about her career in law. Catherine shares her journey from pursuing her law degree at 17, working at Thomson Reuters, to becoming the Chief Strategy and Development Officer at Axiom. They discuss the launch of revolutionary legal research platform, Lexis Plus, and the value of diversity in the legal profession. Catherine advises young professionals to pursue t...

Kathryn and guest Jane Spinak, a Columbia Law School professor, discuss the issues with the U.S. court system's handling of child delinquencies. Jane argues that the system causes more harm than good, often exacerbating issues rather than resolving them. She believes the approach towards these cases should be shifted from courts to supporting communities, to provide more beneficial outcomes for fa...

Kathryn interviews attorney Nichad Davis who shared his journey to law school and his legal work post-graduation, particularly in civil rights where he achieved policy changes and settlements for clients. Nichad emphasized the importance of supporting aspiring legal professionals, especially those from diverse backgrounds. He urged people to persist despite potential barriers, while challenging di...

Kathryn interviews Adrienne Prentice, CEO of Keep Company, discussing work-life balance, focusing on the challenges faced by caregivers and working parents, which affect people of all genders. Adrienne, once a corporate attorney, emphasizes the need for skills in managing professional boundaries, a training lacking in many industries. She suggests the need for a review of incentive structures in l...

Kathryn interviews Sumi Trombley, a senior advisor at UpLevel Ops, who delves into the world of legal operations. They discuss Sumi's career transition, the influence of the pandemic on workflow, the role that legal ops can play in promoting diversity, and how it bridges the gap between legal and business concerns. She emphasizes the need for authentic work and balance, and encourages listeners to...

Kathryn interviews Margaret Klaw who is a writer, a lawyer, and a founding partner of BKW Family Law, an all-women law firm in Philadelphia. Named a Preeminent Woman Lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell, she has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America and designated a Pennsylvania "Super Lawyer" in the area of family law. Starting with day-in-the-life vignettes about practicing family law published in...

Kathryn interviews Nancy Scherer who highlights the importance of diversity in courts, covering aspects like race, gender, and minority representation. The discussion also reveals the challenges faced in increasing diversity due to opposition regarding judges' qualifications and education. However, research shows no significant difference in the quality of judges from top-ranked or lower-ranked la...

Kathryn interviews Sadiqa Reynolds, CEO of Perception Institute, who speaks about her career journey and the significance of diversity in the legal profession. Her current work involves addressing implicit bias and promoting genuine conversations about racial and gender disparities. Reynolds emphasizes the importance of having diverse representation in the judiciary, pointing out the need for law...

Kathryn and Marlon Lutfiyya, Director of Talent and Diversity at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, discuss the advancements in legal research and the importance of DEI integration in law firms. Marlon highlights the benefits of joining a mid-sized firm like his, providing associates opportunities to work closely with senior partners and advance at their own pace using a competency-based system. He also st...

In this episode, Kathryn, Alanna Kaufman, and Margot Hoppin discuss the Lexis Plus platform and share their experiences in the legal industry. They emphasize the importance of doing meaningful work, creating inclusive law firm environments, and networking. Alanna and Margot highlight the values of their public interest private law firms and their focus on positively impacting clients' lives. They...

In this episode, Kathryn speaks with Emily Poler about her experience founding Poler Legal and navigating the legal profession. They discuss negotiation strategies and managing gender dynamics. Emily shares the challenges and rewards of creating her own law firm such as gaining autonomy, selecting compatible clients, and handling the impact of the pandemic. She emphasizes on embracing her identity...

In this episode, Kathryn interviews Jenny Hamilton, Chief Legal Officer at Exterro. They discuss the launch of the Lexis Plus Platform and its AI-powered Judicial Brief Analysis tool, Hamilton's journey into the legal profession, her experiences with e-discovery, and her perspective on being a woman in a male-dominated industry. Hamilton shares her insights on evolving the legal industry, with a f...

In this episode, Kathryn welcomes Michelle Kallen, a Partner at Jenner & Block, to her journey to becoming an appellate lawyer. She explains that the more she learned about law, the more she was drawn to the field. She then goes on to talk about the appeal process and how it can be a difficult one to enter. Finally, Michelle shares her advice on how to get into the field of appellate law, includin...

In this episode, Kathryn welcomes Jennifer Henderson, a Partner with the legal recruiting firm, Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), to discuss why she decided to go to law school and how she ended up becoming a legal recruiter. She also talks about the current lateral market and provides advice for those looking to make a move. Additionally, she shares some tips on how to effectively negotiate with the...

In this episode, Kathryn welcomes Laura Bianchi, Co-Founder of Bianchi & Brandt and a leading entrepreneur, attorney, and strategic advisor for the cannabis industry. Laura emphasizes the importance of finding areas of law that you enjoy, as it is a huge part of your life and will determine how much you get out of your career. As a lawyer who specializes in transactions and corporate work, she des...

In this episode, Kathryn welcomes Karine Sokpoh, CEO of the Midlands African Chamber, to talk about the highs and the lows of focusing on immigration law. Karine reveals that she did not consider other career paths because she wanted to help people and had a goal to work for an international organization in war zones and help with peacekeeping and refugee resettlement efforts. She also recalls how...

In this episode, Kathryn welcomes Jayne Conroy, a plaintiff's attorney at Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC, to talk about the risks and rewards of being a plaintiff's attorney, and how MDLs work, and offers advice to younger lawyers interested in similar cases. She stresses the importance of being curious and open to learning new things, recognizing the workload, and having patience. Who's The Guest? Jayn...

In this episode, Kathryn welcomes Lisa Sarnoff Gochman, an appellate lawyer and author of the book At the Altar of the Appellate Gods: Arguing before the US Supreme Court, to talk about how her career shifted from being in law school to being an appellate lawyer who has spent the last 40 years writing. Lisa also discusses how an appellate attorney is different from a lawyer doing trial work. She r...

In this episode, Kathryn welcomes Ishan Bhabha, co-chair of Jenner and Block's Education Practice and a member of its Appellate and Supreme Court Practice, to talk about the well-publicized affirmative action cases at the oral arguments at the Supreme Court. He discusses his experiences representing the Ivy League and other schools, as well as the importance of diversity in education and the stake...

In this episode, Kathryn welcomes Aliza Shatzman, an attorney, advocate, and former DC Superior Court law clerk, to talk about her experience as a clerk in the DC Superior Court where she faced gender discrimination, harassment, and ultimately retaliation by the now former judge for whom she clerked. She also discusses how she reached out to her law school for support and assistance, only to find...