Legal Talent Talk Network

Creating a healthy work environment starts with the tone set by leadership. In this episode of Erasing the Stigma, Misti Burmeister, author and executive coach, discusses with Mark Yacano the importance of leaning in, listening and asking questions to connect commonalities. Using her personal experiences, Misti explains how we all need to get in touch with the emotional and accept that vulnerability in order to truly understand your people and create a safe space.

Growing up, David Kelly wanted to be a basketball player and a musician. While his path ultimately has led him to a career as an NBA lawyer, he is also a successful musician and underground rapper. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, David, Chief Legal Officer of The Golden State Warriors, shares with Merle Vaughn how he landed his dream role, the sponsors who helped him along the way—and his insights on the league and team culture. He also discusses his passion for hip hop and how...

Traevena Byrd, vice president, general counsel and secretary for American University, has a unique legal career path growing up and excelling in higher education. Her experience in higher education has allowed her to talk about subjects that may be taboo in other industries, benefit from the mentorship of other women, and explore all sides of the higher education experience—from teaching to recruiting. In this episode of Between the Legal Lines, Traevena and Andrea Bricca discuss everything...

At the start of your career, your long-term career plans may seem impossible to plan for. Rob Cacace, executive director of the Office of Career Strategy at Georgetown University Law Center, and Nathan Peart have helped hundreds of law students and associates build career roadmaps and start down their legal career path. In this episode of Millennial Murmurs, Rob and Nathan discuss long-term career planning, exploring tips for how to prepare for your first job out of law school and providing...

Managing—and maintaining—your physical and mental health is an ongoing challenge for many people. Kelsey Heenan, co-founder of HIIT Burn and The Daily Kelsey, explores the mind-body connection needed to find happiness and embrace your body image in this episode of Erasing the Stigma. As she chats with host Mark Yacano, she talks about finding confidence in the clothes you wear, not measuring success by a number on the scale, and taking the first step to a sustainable lifestyle.

Steven Hunter, partner at Quarles & Brady, doesn’t let anything hold him back from being his authentic self and living his best life. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Steven shares stories about what has inspired him to pursue his passions and chats with Merle Vaughn about his competitive drive and commitment to creating opportunities for other diverse lawyers.

As the first general counsel for goop, Virginia Llewellyn came into the organization ready to take on any legal challenges it faced. But this isn’t the first time Virginia has been the first GC for an organization; in fact, she’s playing that role several times before. In this episode of Between the Legal Lines, Virginia chats with Andrea Bricca about her career path, why she sought out an executive MBA and what leading during a pandemic has been like.

Growing up on the basketball court, O’Melveny’s David Lash was not your stereotypical player. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, David chats with Merle Vaughn about getting beyond stereotypes personally and the eye-opening moments from some of his most memorable pro bono cases, several of which are “ripped from the headlines” and one that was made into a movie.

Jill Twedt, vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of Boise Cascade, talks to Andrea Bricca about her road to the GC role, working her way up and adjusting to new challenges along the way. She also shares her experiences as a women leader in a male-dominated industry and as a new leader navigating a global pandemic.

Issues of mental health in the legal profession have been a hot topic for ALM Media. Gina Passarella, editor-in-chief, speaks with Mark Yacano about the results of the yearlong Minds Over Matters project and the impact of COVID-19 on the lawyers with whom she’s recently spoken.

Sheila Foster, a Professor of Law and Public Policy at Georgetown University, loves disrupting expectations. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Sheila chats with Merle Vaughn about how her youthful appearance, race, and gender often present challenges within the classroom, and how she maintains her authenticity by always speaking her truth and staying grounded and connected to the community. She also explores the benefits of meditation and how her Zen-like focus helps her through...

In this episode of Erasing the Stigma, Mark Yacano chats with Robin Belleau, director of well-being at Kirkland & Ellis, about Kirkland’s commitment to well-being, its unique program and Robin’s role in supporting the attorneys and staff within the firm.

In this episode of Between the Legal Lines, Andrea Bricca speaks with Beatryx Washington SVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of O.C. Tanner, about leading through a crisis, the challenges of being an African-American woman in leadership and her nontraditional career path into the law.

In this episode of Erasing the Stigma, Mark Yacano chats with Michael Kahn, co-founder of ReelTime CLE and former lawyer, about the grieving process as it relates to the unprecedented times we’re living in.

A lawyer and entrepreneur, Sierra Elizabeth lets nothing hold her back in life. In this episode, Merle Vaughn chats with Sierra about how she decided to stay authentic - even in the courtroom, why she started her own business and why she chose to earn a law degree instead of following in her family’s entertainment industry footsteps.

In this episode of Between the Legal Lines, Andrea Bricca speaks with Michaune Tillman, experienced general counsel and human resources, compliance and ethics executive with Worthington Armstrong Venture, about her journey to becoming more than just a legal leader. Michaune shares why it has been important to her to identify stretch opportunities along the way, build substantive relationships and maintain her authenticity.

In this episode of Erasing the Stigma, Mark Yacano chats with Mark Schubert, managing director of Guide+Thrive—powered by BHS. They discuss how organizations and law firms can support their lawyers through the right mix of wellness programming and individualized support.

Derrick Boston, general counsel of Virgin Orbit, shares with Merle Vaughn how he’s pushing beyond the stereotypes associated with being a lawyer and being a black man and embracing his authentic self in his personal and professional lives. He talks about the values he’s instilling in his children, how he handles stress, and the role sports have played in shaping him.

In this episode of Erasing the Stigma, Lora Cheadle, former attorney, life choreographer, and author, shares the story of her internal struggle between embracing her authentic self and conforming to society’s restrictions and how that led her on a journey to self-discovery and acceptance. As she speaks with Mark Yacano, Lora encourages women, in particular, to discover what they love and embrace movement.

Katie Lever, experienced chief legal counsel in the gaming and hospitality industry, has held numerous legal executive-level roles in her career—often as the first female legal leader for an organization. In this episode, Katie shares with Andrea Bricca how she broke through the glass ceiling, how she taught others to adjust to working with a female executive, and how she maintains her authenticity.