The Future Is Bright Podcast

Law firms everywhere are debating private equity. Sir Nigel Knowles has already lived the full arc, from global expansion to IPO to take-private. Joining hosts Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg, the former global managing partner of DLA Piper and former CEO of DWF unpacks a career built on bold growth and tough calls. He shares how a 90-person practice in Sheffield became DLA Piper through disciplin...

Private equity is circling the legal industry, and Lucian Pera is helping make sense of what that means for MSO law firms and beyond.  Joining Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg, Lucian breaks down how management services organizations (MSOs) and alternative business structures (ABSs) are giving outside investors new ways to participate in the economics of law - without running afoul of ethics rules...

Mid-sized law firms are facing pressure from every direction. Associates are poached with six-figure pay bumps, partners are stretched thin between billing and management, and specialty practices vanish without succession plans. At the same time, clients expect broader reach and deeper benches than many firms can deliver. In this episode, host Chris Batz shares what he's hearing directly from mana...

Jami Wintz McKeon, Chair of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, joins Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg to share her journey from associate to leading one of the world's largest law firms. She reflects on the moments that shaped her path, including overseeing major integrations, heading the litigation practice, and ultimately stepping into the role of chair.   Jami talks about the personal side of leadersh...

Stephen Zubiago, CEO and Managing Partner of Nixon Peabody LLP, joins hosts Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg to share what it takes to lead an AmLaw 100 firm through growth, competition, and change. He talks about how Nixon Peabody LLP aligns talent strategy with client needs, develops attorneys at every level, and builds a culture where collaboration and entrepreneurial drive matter as much as exp...

David Lat spent years climbing the legal ladder, clerking, working at Wachtell, joining the DOJ, before realizing that the most meaningful part of his career wasn't going to happen in a courtroom. Joining Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg, David talks through the decisions that shaped his path, from writing a cheeky anonymous blog about federal judges to launching "Above the Law" and building one of...

Titles don't build trust, people do. And according to Rebecca Goodman-Stephens, that's where real leadership begins. Rebecca is the CEO of Moses Singer, a New York law firm, but her story starts far from the legal world. She grew up across the UK, Switzerland, and France, studied clinical psychology, and built her career in consulting and public accounting before stepping into her current role. Al...

Succession only looks seamless from the outside. Yakub Hazzard shares what it really took to step into the chair role at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP, and why leadership transitions require more than just good timing.   How do you plan for change without disrupting what already works? Yakub walks through the nearly two-year succession planning process that prepared him to take over as chair, fr...

Law firms that treat innovation like a team sport are the ones shaping the future of legal practice.   Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg sit down with Jamie Drozd, the managing partner at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, a corporate law firm known for leaning into technology in ways that actually stick. Jamie shares how her path, from commercial litigator to firm leadership, was shaped by early lessons in...

Private equity is making moves in the legal industry, and Crispin Passmore has a message for firms that think they can ignore it: adapt or risk getting left behind.   Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg sit down with Crispin, the co-founder of Stratify and a former U.K. regulator turned law firm consultant, to talk about what's happening on both sides of the Atlantic. Why has the U.K. embraced alterna...

"It's astonishing; it's just mind-blowing," says Chris Batz about the exponential growth in revenue generated by the AmLaw top 100 firms in the last 22 years. On today's episode of The Future is Bright, Chris takes a closer look at these numbers, what's driving them and which firm comes out on top. He also takes a look at the increasing number of firms who are choosing to merge in order to, among...

"It's all about people management," says today's guest Kristina Lawson, drawing parallels between her time as the former mayor of Walnut Creek, CA to her current role as managing partner at Hanson Bridgett LLP, a mid-sized firm which like Kristina, whose practice was in real estate and land use, has a deep connection and dedication to California and its communities. This values-based California la...

"It is still quite challenging to convince partners of the need for change when the traditional model is still serving them incredibly well," says Neville Eisenberg, Senior Strategy Executive, Mishcon de Reya, who joins The Future is Bright to talk about innovation taking place within UK law firms, innovation he helped contribute to with the contract attorney company, Lawyers on Demand, and now wi...

"Everyone deserves to feel like they matter," says Noah Heller, who as CEO of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP has built a culture of communication and connection, of being consistently authentic and operating with integrity in work and in life. He joins this episode of The Future is Bright to explain how his firm has evolved under his 12-year tenure by seeking to understand the needs of others, making...

"I suspect in the UK we're going to end up with some really deep, high-quality verticals…as opposed to lots of law firms having components," says today's guest Greg Jackson, Director of Law Firm Strategy and Transformation at PwC, who joins The Future is Bright to discuss this and many more predictions he has for the future of UK law firms. Along with co-hosts Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg, Greg...

"We wanted it to be a true merger of equals," says Scott Kadish, who, along with Kevin McLaughlin, are Co-Managing Partners at the newly merged UB Greensfelder. On today's episode of The Future is Bright, the two men talk to host Chris Batz about what can happen when two firms marry their considerable strengths to make themselves even more competitive and able to take on bigger, more complex work....

"Teams and groups are much harder to pull off. The degree of difficulty is a challenge. There's a real prize if you get it right," says co-host Howard Rosenberg as he and Chris Batz dig into the complexities of law firm growth through team acquisitions. They emphasize the strategic advantage of acquiring teams rather than individual hires. It's a more challenging process, but the rewards—stronger...

"This is really new territory that is going to challenge the way some of these law firms are run and how the industry responds to that going forward over the next couple of years," says co-host Howard Rosenberg. In this episode, Howard and Chris Batz dive into the rising trend of superstar law partners landing eight-figure salaries and the major impact it's having on firm management, client relati...

"For a lot of law firm leaders that I'm in contact with, this is their central challenge: to chart a path of sustained growth." says new co-host Howard Rosenberg who joins co-host Chris Batz to continue their discussion about the best way for law firms to form, based on data and intelligence, a structured strategy approach to growth through acquisition.  It's not easy, Chris explains, and requires...

"It's not where I thought I was going to wind up, but it's been a very, very fulfilling journey," says Howard Rosenberg, today's guest—who will be joining Chris Batz as co-host—on The Future is Bright podcast. On this episode, Howard recalls his journey from graduating from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design with a degree in architecture, to finding himself unexpectedly working in corpo...

"What makes your brand unique is a combination of tangible and intangible things," explains Gary Singer, Chief Strategy Officer at Kobre & Kim LLP, who joins The Future is Bright podcast. Gary shares the remarkable story of driving the Altoids brand, which was virtually unknown outside the United States, to astronomical sales. In today's episode, he discusses his unique approach to branding, which...

As the legal profession evolves, the importance of C-suite executives in law firms is rising. Jennifer Johnson, CEO of Calibrate, shares her vision for a future where these executives are equal to managing partners and report to a board.   Calibrate is a management consulting and executive search firm that places top talent in essential C-suite roles within corporate law firms, freeing lawyers to...

Built on a foundation of collaboration, relationship, and trust, Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, a top Dallas-based corporate law firm recognized as one of the city's best places to work, has strategically served their clients since its founding in 1985. These core values have remained steadfast, even as the market has rapidly evolved, staying true to their Texas roots.     Phil Appenzeller, CEO of Muns...

"I have been really, really lucky in every move that I've made to be with really bright people and just be allowed to learn from them," says today's guest Aaron Crews who currently serves as chief product and innovation officer and head of enterprise at data and professional services company UnitedLex. On today's episode of The Future is Bright, Aaron discusses his career trajectory, what it was l...

Marty Cohn, the National Director of Client Engagement at Sheppard Mullin, has a diverse background with significant experience in both consulting and legal sectors in the U.S. Initially steering clear of sales in favor of marketing, Marty's perspective shifted as he recognized the importance of accountability and return on investment (ROI) in marketing, sparking a newfound enthusiasm for sales. I...