The Jabot

Kathryn spoke with Nancy Leong about why she went to law school, and the career twists and turns that resulted in her winding up where she is. They also discussed how she came up with the term "identity capitalist", and the personal anecdotes included in her book. They also spoke about hidden in-group agendas and strategies she recommends for those in out-groups. Episode Resources https://www.law....

Stacey speaks with Stacey Breen about the twists and turns of her career that led her to her role at MLA, and the motivation behind their recent Return to Office Survey. They discussed the most surprising results of the survey, including generational differences in pandemic experiences. Additionally, they spoke of some of the challenges women faced during COVID and what the industry can do to fix...

Kathryn spoke with Kelly and Heather about the process of opening up their own firm, and the values they believe to be the most important when establishing a practice. They also discussed the particular benefits and challenges of being best friends and business partners, as well as the biggest changes to their firm due to COVID. They also spoke about tips for practicing law virtually. Episode Reso...

Kathryn interviewed Lauren Drake where they discussed, among other things, how her career evolved to her position at Macrae. They talked about how the "Female Law Firm Leaders Roundtable" got started and how the pandemic shaped that launch. They also discussed how FLFL benefits its members and issues tackled by the roundtable over the last year. Additionally, they dive into how women leaders can l...

Kathryn interviewed Shailini George about her experiences as a legal writing professor and the process of writing The Law Students' Guide to Doing Well and Being Well. They also discuss how distraction addiction became an interest for her. Their conversation includes Shailini's thoughts on how law students should use wellness practices to improve their law school experience, as well as some tips f...

Kathryn interviewed Thomas Douglas about his role as a community and industry leader. They discuss the process of opening his own firm, as well as the biggest challenges and rewards of that experience. They also chat about how to create a tolerant and affirming law firm culture. Additionally, they speak about balancing the pressures of the business side of the firm with the legal practice. Episode...

Kathryn chats with Elle McCulty, partner at Waller Law and chair of the firm's Women's Leadership Council. They discuss balancing firm leadership with her practice, the programs the Council implemented, the firm's recognition by Working Mother magazine, and how the firm supports the re-entry of new parents into firm life. They also talk about why it is important for firms to make a concerted effor...

Kathryn talks with Maria Melendez about why she Ieft the practice of law to become Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Sidley. They chat about the unique challenges in this role and how she leverages her past experience. They discuss setting goals and benchmarks in the D&I space, the kinds of programs that pay the biggest dividends in the D&I world, and how a firm encourages attorneys to part...

MiAngel Cody and Kathryn chat about her passion for criminal defense work and the problems with the three-strikes law. They talk about the role of social media and Kim Kardashian in justice work, about how the #90DaysOfFreedom Campaign got started, and why The Decarceration Collective is so important. MiAngel has been labeled a "Legal Legend" a "Changemaker" and a "Powerhouse Litigator" and it tur...

Kathryn speaks with Jennifer McGlone, co-founder of Law Champs. They chat about why she decided to start the organization, how that experience was impacted by the pandemic and the goals of Law Champs. They also discuss the Biden administration's recent change in transgender healthcare protections and what that means for folks on the ground and why they're so important. Episode Resources https://ww...

Kathryn talks with Becky Greenfield and Cristina Rodriguez of Wolfe Pincavage about the new normal -- working from home. They chat about how WFH has changed the way you practice and to figure out how to grow professionally in the virtual environment, and how business development plays a role in that. They discuss what firm leaders can do to better mentor team members and foster collaborative envir...

Kathryn chats with Jenner & Block's Co-Managing Partners, Katya Jestin, and Randy Mehrberg. They discuss their overall philosophy for managing a Biglaw firm, prioritizing diversity, the challenges in trying to create a unified culture across a giant firm, and how the pandemic heightened those issues. They also talk about Jenner & Block representation of Stacey Abrams' Fair Fight Action and the nee...

Kathryn talks with Sona Pancholy, president of Meritas about the twists and turns of her career that took her to Meritas. They also talk about her goals as president and how she leverages her own personal story in achieving it. Also, they discuss the recently launched Black Lawyers Forum and Women's Leadership Congress and why that was such a priority in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. Epi...

Kathryn talks with Brandi Russell, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Balch & Bingham about her new position and how her career has twisted to bring her here. They also talk about the goals and benchmarks for the firm and two D&I initiatives the firm is passionate about -- the Balch Business Boost and Susan B Livingston Boot Camp. They discuss how to sell the ROI on diversity for those that ma...

Kathryn is joined by Berkeley Law Professor Amanda L. Tyler. She's also a former clerk of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the co-author of the Justice's final book JUSTICE, JUSTICE THOU SHALT PURSUE: A Life's Work Fighting for a More Perfect Union. They discuss how Amanda went from clerk to writing this book with Justice Ginsburg. They dive into the book as Justice Ginsburg's final work, and how i...

Kathryn talks with Kerry Shad and Sharita Whitaker, both partners at Smith Anderson. They talked about why they went to law school in the first place and how they found the practice areas that are right for them. They also get into Diversity & Inclusion nitty gritty like what D&I means to them, what D&I initiatives are necessary for law firms, the advantages of D&I programs in mid-sized firms comp...

Kathryn is joined by Jacqueline Duval, a Partner with New York-based law firm Herrick, Feinstein's Tax Department, and the leader of the firm's Family Office group. They talk about why she went to law school in the first place, how she settled on tax law as a specialty. Jacqueline also has advice for associates trying to figure out their ideal practice area. They also talk about the twists in her...

In this episode, Kathryn talks with Dr. Anjali Vats about the intersection of race and IP law -- something that may not strike the average person as particularly obvious. They delve into how do the seemingly colorblind patent and copyright laws continue to favor white men, the role of American mythos in maintaining that system, and the stories about invention we should be telling. They also talk a...

Kathryn talks with author and lawyer Robyn Gigl, who has a legal thriller being released at the end of March - By Way for Sorrow. They talk about Robyn's long-time dream of being an author, and how she balanced her legal practice with writing. They also delve into Robyn's process for developing the characters in her novel and share tips for aspiring writers out there. In addition to being a lawyer...

Kathryn chats with Iffy about how she settled into an estate planning practice, and the turns her career has taken to get to this place. Iffy also offers advice for lawyers that struggle with finding the right practice area for them. They talk about how estate planning can embolden women, and why estate planning is an important tool for building generational wealth. Plus, they discuss how Iffy bal...

Kathryn talks with David about diversity in Biglaw and the challenges of recruiting and retention of diverse attorneys. They discussed his recent lateral move to Brown Rudnick, the things he looked for in making that jump, and advice for others looking to move firms. They also talk about David's passion for pro bono work and why is that so important for the legal industry. Episode Resources David...

Kathryn talks with Laura Leopard, founder, and CEO of Leopard Solutions. They talk about Leopard's recently rolled out ethnic diversity data in your law firm index and why it's vital for the legal industry, they discuss the state of gender and ethnic diversity within the top 200 law firms in the US and the biggest takeaways from that work. They also talk about the newly launched Law Firm Transpare...

Kathryn talks with Leigh Vickery about her work as Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at LevelLegal. They discuss the ways the legal industry is changing as a result of COVID-19 and why this is a moment for innovation in the industry. They also delve into creating a culture of care as it applies to the legal industry and how things will be different under this model. Episode Resources Leigh Vicke...

Kathryn talks with the plaintiffs' attorney, Anabel Rosa, about her work fighting for Hispanic/Latinx causes in state and local governments. They talk about how her policy work dovetails with her legal career and why she recommends law school to those that care about social justice issues.   Episode Resources Anabel Rosa arosa@farrin.com   https://www.farrin.com/attorney/anabel-rosa/     Episode H...

Kathryn speaks with Molly J. Bowen and Julie Goldsmith Reiser of Cohen Milstein about their representation of Alphabet shareholders in a case over the company's handing of sexual harassment claims that led to a $310 million settlement that's been hailed as precedent-setting.   Episode Resources https://www.cohenmilstein.com/professional/molly-j-bowen   https://www.cohenmilstein.com/professional/ju...