In this episode, Kathryn interviewed Sejal Patel from Sage Ivy Consulting. Sejal traces her unique career from law to consulting, emphasizing that law schools should better guide students about alternative legal careers and business development. She suggests young lawyers maintain their professional relationships from law school, cultivate new ones through LinkedIn and conferences, and develop friendships with clients. Together with Kathryn, they stress the importance of early start in professional networking and continuous learning for a successful career. Highlights Navigating the paths after law school and confronting the realities of alternative legal careers Encouraging business development as a part of lifestyle, exploring hobbies and fun activities with potential clients Why you should start early with business development, ideally during law school years How to develop networks and business for those who don't have those kinds of connections from diverse backgrounds The importance of turning clients into friends for gaining inside knowledge and sustaining long-term relationships The need to attend bar association conferences and events for networking opportunities The importance of early business development network building    Episode Resources http://www.sageivyconsulting.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sbpatel/   Episode Sponsored By https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus  Subscribe, Share and Review To get the next episode subscribe with your favorite podcast player. Subscribe with Apple Podcasts Follow on Spotify Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Kathryn interviewed Frieda Garcia, a managing partner at BAL. Frieda shares her journey to becoming an immigration lawyer, primarily influenced by her family's legal immigration issues. Although the field is challenging due to its complexity and politicized nature, it is also rewarding, particularly in cases where she's assisted scientists and nurses.  Frieda commends her firm's intentional diversity efforts and credits this to her rise as a Latina woman. Toward the end of the episode, she reflects on the unpredictable nature of immigration law, emphasizing resilience and empathy as essential attributes. She offers advice to aspiring lawyers, encouraging resilience, forming strong relationships, treating others with kindness, and prioritizing self-care. Highlights Frieda Garcia and her motive behind pursuing law Her first experience with immigration law The intricacies of looking at immigration law from the perspective of employers The start of her passion for immigration law BAL's recognition as the most diverse law firm The importance of adaptability and resilience in dealing with the unpredictability of her work in immigration law How young professionals in law should persevere towards their goals, make and learn from mistakes, and forge strong relationships Value of respectfulness and self-care in the demanding field of law and leadership How aspiring law professionals should continuously work towards their goals despite the obstacles    Episode Resources Link to Frieda’s bio: https://www.bal.com/people/frieda-garcia/ Frieda video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2L24flp-cY BAL Insights page: https://www.bal.com/insights/  Episode Sponsored By https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus  Subscribe, Share and Review To get the next episode subscribe with your favorite podcast player. Subscribe with Apple Podcasts Follow on Spotify Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Kathryn interviewed Elise Holtzman, President of The Lawyer’s Edge, who shares her journey from pre-med to law and discusses challenges faced by lawyers. She highlights the pressure being overwhelming leading to visible stress, but advises breaking down goals into smaller achievable tasks. Elise also points out that self-doubts often block individuals from expressing their needs or setting boundaries, and stresses the need to ignore such doubts as they are not based on reality. She encourages lawyers to seek help when stuck and to realize that progress requires new skills and habits, even if changing these seems hard.   Highlights Why Elise decided to move from medical school to law school The idea of conducting "mini experiments” and trying a few new things like learning to delegate more or showing up with solutions rather than just problems. Law firms' responsibility to communicate their expectations upfront to their associates and to give them a clear roadmap for professional development Ways individuals can develop a macro perspective on their legal career while dealing with daily tasks, such as finding quiet time to reflect or discussing with a friend Spending time with like-minded individuals who can provide motivation and support in aspiring career advancements The challenges of being stuck in a rut in the legal field and suggests making small changes to gradually improve the situation The importance of pacing oneself and not trying to make dramatic changes all at once The mental roadblocks or "gremlins" that prevent people from making much-needed changes in their careers   Episode Resources https://thelawyersedge.com/about-us/meet-elise-holtzman/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliseholtzman  Episode Sponsored By https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus  Subscribe, Share and Review To get the next episode subscribe with your favorite podcast player. Subscribe with Apple Podcasts Follow on Spotify Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Kathryn interviewed Susan Myres, a Managing Partner of Myres & Associates PLLC, who discusses the prevalence of “decision fatigue” in the legal industry. She suggests lawyers take regular breaks and maintain a work-life balance to counter fatigue and stress. She emphasizes the components of self-care and health in a lawyer’s responsibility to their clients. Susan also highlights the lack of effective tools to manage this ongoing stress within the profession. Arguing for the importance of being adequately prepared for cases and meetings, she recounts an experience where her unpreparedness negatively impacted a client. She views these scenarios as learning opportunities, warning that, without proper management, decision fatigue can lead to unsustainable legal careers. Lastly, Susan advocates for the development of effective tools to aid in managing decision fatigue and ensuring continued quality in legal service. Highlights What led Susan Myers to specialize in matrimonial and family law Why the practice of family law interesting for her Dealing with the intensity of family law cases The notion of decision fatigue The Harvard Business Review issue "How to Make Decisions Amid Chaos" Managing stress and emotions amidst decision fatigue The importance of delegation and taking breaks for overall well-being The signs of approaching burnout in law practice The concept of decision fatigue and the importance of checklists in managing tasks efficiently Importance of self-awareness in managing workloads and stress in the legal profession Why young lawyers who feel enormous pressure to do it all The need to mentor and support them    Episode Resources https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01OU2Y5TmNw https://www.thehoustondivorcefirm.com/our-team/susan-myres/    Episode Sponsored By https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus    Subscribe, Share and Review To get the next episode subscribe with your favorite podcast player. Subscribe with Apple Podcasts Follow on Spotify Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Kathryn Introduces guests Douglas Letter and Shira Feldman from Brady United, an organization focused on reducing gun violence. They discuss their driving factors for practicing law, touch on their work, and explore specific gun laws, including the case of United States vs Rahimi, relevant to domestic violence prevention. Shira outlines the current state of gun laws post-Bruin decision while Doug shares optimism about the Supreme Court's potential future pro-safety rulings. Highlights Doug and Shira’s work at Brady, which involves legal advocacy and representation for gun violence victims The optimistic outlook after the oral arguments in the "US vs Rahimi" case State regulations on assault weapons and high capacity magazines The role states play in regulating gun laws and the optimism that these measures will be upheld by the Supreme Court in the future The significance and value of their work at Brady Their initiatives outside of litigation, particularly working with Hollywood, to increase awareness and bring about a cultural shift on gun safety. Shira and Doug’s work at the broader organization of Brady and their important incremental changes.    Episode Resources https://www.bradyunited.org/our-work/brady-legal/our-legal-team   Episode Sponsored By https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus  Subscribe, Share and Review To get the next episode subscribe with your favorite podcast player. Subscribe with Apple Podcasts Follow on Spotify Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Kathryn interviewed Dylan Penningroth to discuss the intersections of Black history, law, and the civil rights movement. Penningroth, author of "Before the Movement: the Hidden History of Black Civil Rights", stresses the importance of viewing the Black community as a diverse group with various perspectives, and using the law as both an instrument of oppression and of change. He speaks on his research challenges and the impacts of corporate law on Black history.   Highlights The hidden history of Black Civil Rights The significance of contextual understanding of civil rights that goes beyond racial discrimination The importance of taking a focused approach to understand the Civil Rights movement Marriage, divorce, and inheritance in the lives of Black people The reasons why stories involving Black people sometimes get "lost" Black people using law as a tool in their daily lives The tension between law as both a source of oppression and a tool for liberation Ponders whether the law a strategy is worth pursuing for Black people Shows mixed opinions about the law as a tool of oppression and also a tool of liberation    Episode Resources https://www.law.berkeley.edu/our-faculty/faculty-profiles/dylan-penningroth/ https://history.berkeley.edu/dylan-c-penningroth     Episode Sponsored By https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus    Subscribe, Share and Review To get the next episode subscribe with your favorite podcast player. Subscribe with Apple Podcasts Follow on Spotify Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

Kathryn interviewed Amanda Wolfman, who shares her career transition from social work to law and advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal field. From her experiences at various law firms, she emphasizes the importance of problem-solving skills and having these values ingrained in all facets of a firm's operations for it to be impactful. She also shares some career highs and lows and the satisfaction derived from solving clients' problems.    Highlights Her experience on job transition and finding the right fit. The future of diversity in the legal field and how to encourage positive change. The need for deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Showing up and actively fighting for progress in diversity, equity and inclusion. Highlights of her career in law. More career highs, including trials won and differences made for clients.    Episode Resources https://www.nge.com/Our-Lawyers/Amanda-Wolfman   Episode Sponsored By https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus  Subscribe, Share and Review To get the next episode subscribe with your favorite podcast player. Subscribe with Apple Podcasts Follow on Spotify Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

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 areas and has particularly deep expertise in private equity and related areas.    Highlights Melinda shares her journey into legal recruiting and the opportunities it has presented for her. Discussion about the overall brand of law firms and its importance during times of change. Discussion around making sure a firm's culture and values align with what they care about. Discussion on how diversity impacts the compensation and origin of credit in law firms. Statement about the success rate of the Reignite Academy program, with three participants having made partner. Discussion about the attributes needed in candidates for successful comeback into the legal profession. Observation of an increase in litigation partners due to a surge in restructuring special situations and distressed finance. Anticipation of future mergers in the mid-market sector and increased transatlantic mergers.   Episode Resources https://www.macrae.com/melinda-wallman   Episode Sponsored By https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus  Subscribe, Share and Review To get the next episode subscribe with your favorite podcast player. Subscribe with Apple Podcasts Follow on Spotify Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

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 pandemic. Both underline the crucial need for resources and realistic expectations.   Highlights The AI-powered tool, Judicial Brief Analysis, and its ability to offer targeted recommendations of relevant cases Natalie’s motivation to attend law school, wanting to advocate for people and be a civil rights lawyer Strategy work Shanté produces for their DEI clients when she has time to focus on her work The importance of intentionality in DEI practices, especially in the retention of diverse employees in a company Work does not have to be a zero-sum game with winners and losers, advocating for a middle ground between full-time remote work and compulsory on-site presence The larger structural issues in the legal profession and how it affects the profession's readiness for work-from-home setups Steps in recognizing burnout, addressing it, and seeking support as needed How business can start reiterate available resources and encourage employees to take advantage of them as necessary Episode Resources https://parade.com/author/natalie-e-norfus https://thenorfusfirm.com/our-team/     Episode Sponsored By  https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus    Subscribe, Share and Review  To get the next episode subscribe with your favorite podcast player. Subscribe with Apple Podcasts Follow on Spotify Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

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. Offering career advice, he highlighted the importance of relevant studies, gaining experience as law school research assistants, and showed the numerous opportunities available within governmental, non-governmental, and academic roles.    Highlights Philippe Sands’ background, experience with U.S law, and his family's background in law His writing process and how it involves everyday people's stories The book's potential impact and relevance to the black community in the U.S Personal stories and connections with the people impacted mentioned in the book A powerful moment of the Chagossian community returning to their islands after 50 years What is the human element in law? How law impacts communities and individuals and its importance in education The use of nuclear weapons and France's resumption of nuclear testing in the South Pacific An illustrative incident regarding a French judge's response during the case and the realities of law practice Advice to aspiring practitioners of international law    Episode Resources https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/176809/philippe-sands/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe_Sands  Episode Sponsored By https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus    Subscribe, Share and Review To get the next episode subscribe with your favorite podcast player. Subscribe with Apple Podcasts Follow on Spotify Leave a review on Apple Podcasts