The Lawyer's Edge

Business development can often feel daunting. Even lawyers who recognize its importance frequently grapple with where to begin and how to execute effectively. Without a well-defined strategy, it's easy to become overwhelmed, discouraged, and ultimately disengage from the process. In this episode of  The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman breaks down the process with her 3 Pillars of Business De...

Morris Tabush is a community activist, tech hobbyist, and serial entrepreneur. Growing up passionate about technology and helping others, he turned that passion into a business in 2000 by founding the Tabush Group with a mission to simplify IT for businesses. He oversees all aspects of the firm's business and focuses on delivering outstanding service to clients. Darragh Fitzpatrick was born in Lim...

Amanda Koplos is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Central Florida-based law firm Shuffield, Lowman & Wilson . She has 20 years of experience in various law firm leadership positions and currently serves as the president of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA). ALA is a premier professional association with 9,500 members that exists to connect, educate, and empower leaders and mana...

Laura Leopard is the co-founder and General Manager of Leopard Solutions , the largest law firm data platform serving the legal industry with actionable intelligence and insights on more than 5,500 law firms worldwide and 6,800 U.S. corporate legal departments. She has spearheaded Leopard Solutions' growth and development over the company's 18-year history, and she continues to push the envelope,...

Michael Ellenhorn founded Decipher Investigative Intelligence to help clients create safer, more productive, and more profitable workplaces through reliable investigative intelligence. He counsels clients on mitigating risks associated with the hiring process and is a frequent speaker on the topic of lateral hiring, integration, and talent acquisition strategy. Under his leadership, Decipher has b...

Debbie Foster, CEO of Affinity Consulting , can build relationships with even the most challenging personalities. She is a nationally recognized thought leader on people, strategy, efficiency, and innovation in professional legal organizations. Her first project involving increased efficiency and change management came when she computerized the ordering system in a fine dining restaurant in 1994....

Alé Dalton is a partner at the national law firm Bradley Arant Boult Cummings . Working with their Healthcare Practice Group, which is consistently ranked as one of the best in the country, she provides practical advice to clients on a wide range of transactional, operational, and regulatory matters. She also participates in Bradley's pro bono program and is actively involved in efforts to meet le...

Jennifer Cona, is the Founder and Managing Partner of Cona Elder Law, an award-winning elder law and estate planning firm located in Melville, New York. Celebrating 25 years in business, Cona Elder Law has been consistently ranked the number one elder law and trust in-estate firm on Long Island. Jennifer has won many awards, including the New York Law Journal Award for Top Women in Law. She and he...

Lawyers frequently report that they are exhausted, overloaded, or burned out. Sound familiar? In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, host Elise Holtzman chats with Lauren Baptiste, a burnout expert and founder of Acheloa Wellness, to delve into the all-too-common issue of burnout in the legal profession. Lauren shares how to prevent burnout as well as how to recover from it. Learn the impor...

What do you think is one of the most powerful obstacles to business development success for lawyers? Despite their busy schedules, it isn't a lack of time. It's not about the lack of money, either. It's not even that you don't know how to do it, although law school certainly didn't teach it. Simply put: it's your mindset. It's the stories you tell yourself that stop you from taking (or fully commi...

Professional opportunities abound for women lawyers, yet many women hesitate to pursue their dream of starting and owning a law practice. Many of those who do take the leap still struggle with building their business into a saleable asset that supports their lifestyle (both now and in retirement). Before my guest, Davina Frederick, started her law firm in 2007, she worked in professional services...

Do you struggle to connect with audiences in your public speaking engagements and legal presentations? You can continue to struggle or learn how to be a more engaging and memorable presenter. Valerie Madamba knew she had to overcome a huge learning curve as a public speaker if she wanted to be happy and successful as a lawyer. Once she figured out how to connect with an audience and help them solv...

Those first travelers making their way West did so without a roadmap. But in taking the opportunity, they paved the way for the nation's expansion. That spirit of the West is very much rooted in Tara Stingley and the Nebraska law firm of which she is a partner. As the first woman to serve on Cline Williams' executive committee, she challenged other members to think about how they defined issues an...

Are you up late at night, pulling all-nighters, and burning out from the fast-paced nature of your job as a lawyer?  As a former litigator, Charlène Gisèle loved all of it! She reveled in the things you're not supposed to love. While she was thriving in her environment, though, she got a wake-up call that made her realize that she'd been neglecting something along the way.  All signs pointed to bu...

Paula T. Edgar, Esq. is the CEO of PGE Consulting Group LLC, an organizational strategy firm providing training and educational services to promote professional development and DEI. As a sought-after keynote speaker and facilitator, Paula develops customized programming for attendees, integrating personal branding, relationship building, and business development into each event. Additionally, she...

Gina Zapanta is the Co-founder and Partner of Z.A. Lawyers, a firm dedicated to protecting injured workers' rights. She is also the CEO of AlderLaw and the Founder of Empowered with Gina, a platform for women to embrace empowerment. Passionate about helping others empower themselves through education, motivation, and community-building, Gina offers events and wellness retreats for women to embrace...

Kelly Rittenberry Culhane is the Founder and Managing Partner of Culhane Meadows, the largest full-service, women-owned law firm in the US. She is a member of the firm's insurance and outsourcing practice groups, where she handles sourcing human resources, professional services, consultant functions, and risk management counseling. Kelly has over 20 years of experience advising clients on insuranc...

Carolyn Blessing is a Partner at Locke Lord LLP, a premier full-service law firm. In her practice, she focuses on IP pharmaceutical matters and Hatch-Waxman litigation. With experience in the FDA regulatory, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical industries, Carolyn represents pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in all aspects of federal IP litigation, including pre-litigation, fact and expe...

Audrey Miller is an Operational Excellence Consultant at Calibrate, an executive search and organizational consultancy helping law firms optimize their talent, processes, and performance. Calibrate offers executive search and talent management operations strategies like business assessments, analytics and implementation, and leadership advice to help law firms reach their fullest potential in reve...

Heidi K. Brown is the Associate Dean for Upper Level Writing at the New York Law School and a former litigator in the construction industry. As a University of Virginia School of Law graduate, she earned her master's degree in applied positive psychology in 2021. Heidi is an internationally recognized speaker and the author of three books about lawyer and law student well-being, including  The Int...

Shaun Jardine is the Managing Director of Big Yellow Penguin, which encourages businesses to adopt alternative pricing methods. As a non-practicing solicitor and mediator, Shaun served as the Commercial Director and CEO of Brethertons LLP, a top UK 250 law firm. During his tenure, he led the design and implementation of a value-based pricing project that reflected the services delivered to clients...

Erin Kuzz is a Founding Partner and Lawyer at Sherrard Kuzz LLP, a labor and employment law firm. In her practice, she assists employers in various aspects of the employment relationship, including pre-screening and hiring, employment contracts, training and development, and employment standards issues. Erin also consults with non-union employers and helps unionized employers manage issues like ba...

Rich Bracken is an executive speaker coach, corporate culture consultant, and keynote speaker on emotional intelligence, leadership, motivation, and business differentiation. For over 20 years, he has researched how various leadership styles and employee engagement tactics impact businesses and teams. Through content, thought leadership, data-driven insights, and research, Rich drives sustainable...

Barnaby Merrill is an Editor for The Legal 500, one of the world's leading legal directories, which annually updates its comprehensive research to provide insights into the global legal market. The publication assesses the strength of law firms in more than 150 jurisdictions. As editor of The Legal 500's US-related content, Barnaby is responsible for the annual rankings of more than 300 US law fir...

Roslyn Tsao is the Managing Partner at Epstein Cole LLP, a boutique family law firm where she manages operations, recruitment, and student programs. As a family law attorney, she specializes in parenting arrangements, property division, and support issues and represents high-net-worth individuals with complex assets or compensation structures. Roslyn has appeared on motions, conferences, and trial...