Leveraging Latitude: Cultivating a Full Life in the Law

In this episode of Leveraging Latitude, Taimur Ghaznavi, Head of Konexo US at Eversheds Sutherland, joins Alex Su and Tim Haley for a candid conversation on how legal departments and law firms are evolving their service delivery models to better meet today’s demands. As costs rise, client expectations shift, and technology continues to advance, legal leaders are rethinking how work gets done—and what’s the right mix of people, process, and technology to do it. Taimur shares how law firms, ALSPs, and in-house teams are building client-aligned models that integrate embedded talent, smarter resourcing, and technology to deliver results. Highlights from the episode include: This conversation sets the stage for a deeper discussion at the upcoming Legal Value Network’s LVNx conference in Chicago, where Taimur, Tim, and two other legal leaders will explore how legal service models, talent, and technology are continuing to evolve. Note: Taimur shares his personal views in this episode; his comments do not reflect the official positions of Konexo, Eversheds Sutherland, or their clients. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

Thinking about starting your own firm? This episode of Leveraging Latitude offers an unfiltered look at what it really takes to launch—and grow—a law firm. Guest co-host Kyle Robisch joins Alex Su in welcoming Matt Margolis, whose career has spanned Big Law, in-house roles, legal tech, and now, Partner of his own firm, Margolis PLLC. Matt shares how he built a fast-growing practice by leveraging his in-house experience, building genuine relationships, and showing up consistently on social media. The conversation dives into the nuts and bolts of starting up: how to find clients, the power of fractional legal work (both as a service provider and recipient), and why law firm owners shouldn’t fear asking their network for support. Plus, you’ll hear insights on scaling sustainably, developing operational processes, and how showcasing authentic personality on social media can actually be good for business. It’s a candid, energetic, and often funny discussion about the business side of law, full of practical advice for attorneys who may be toying with the idea of going solo or simply looking to grow your legal practice more intentionally. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

Candice and Tim welcome back Paula Davis, former attorney, workplace well-being expert, and founder and CEO of the Stress & Resilience Institute. For over 15 years, Paula has been a trusted advisor to leaders, teams, and organizations, helping them make work better. Paula returns to Leveraging Latitude to discuss her newest book, Lead Well: 5 Mindsets to Engage, Retain, and Inspire Your Team. She breaks down the mindsets for legal leaders to foster engagement, prevent burnout, and build resilient teams—without sacrificing performance. Together, Paula, Candice, and Tim unpack leadership topics such as: With eye-opening insights from Paula’s research and practical strategies and advice, this episode is a must-listen for attorneys looking to lead with impact. For more publications and resources by Paula Davis, visit her website: https://stressandresilience.com/lead-well/. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

Leveraging Latitude hosts Candice Reed and Alex Su sit down with Stacy Bratcher, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Cottage Health. Stacy shares her journey from law firm associate to in-house leader, offers actionable advice on aligning legal goals with business objectives, and emphasizes the importance of professional development. Learn how to build strategic partnerships, position legal departments as value-driven business units, and identify growth opportunities within your organization. Interested in more from Stacy Bratcher? Tune in to her podcast The Legal Department, which delivers advice on what busy in-house lawyers need to know to level up in their career. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

Join Candice Reed and Tim Haley as they sit down with Jorge de la Osa, Director of Legal Recruiting at Latitude and former General Counsel, to uncover strategies for success in the legal job market. Drawing from his experience as a job seeker, hiring manager, and now recruiter, Jorge offers a unique perspective on job seeking, interviews, and hiring strategies. The trio discuss how to effectively showcase transferable skills, approach a career move with confidence and avoid of common interview pitfalls. They also examine the evolving hiring landscape, sharing actionable advice for legal department leaders seeking top talent and attorneys exploring their next career move. From practical advice to compelling first-hand stories, this episode is packed with insights for anyone looking to elevate their legal career or build a standout team. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

In this episode of Leveraging Latitude, Candice and Alex speak with Mike Haven, Head of Global Legal Operations at Intel Corporation. With over two decades of experience in law and legal operations at leading companies like K&L Gates LLP, NetApp Inc., and Gap Inc., Mike shares insights on the rapid evolution of legal operations and the forces driving its transformation. Mike discusses his core philosophy: that the legal function must be a business enabler, accelerating business velocity while supporting the people and teams it impacts. He emphasizes that legal ops thrives through strong relationships, collaboration, empathy, and curious questioning. For those tasked with securing resources and budgeting for the legal department, Mike offers advice on effectively making their case to the CFO, and he looks ahead to emerging trends that will continue to shape the field of legal operations. For those interested in exploring further, "GenO: The Rise of Legal Operations," co-authored by Mike Haven and Prashant Dubey, offers additional insights into this evolving discipline. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

Candice Reed, Tim Haley, and Alex Su share the diverse career journeys that brought them to Latitude and the opportunities that shaped their paths. The conversation highlights the rising trend of flexible legal talent. Tim and Candice dive into how law firms and in-house teams are leveraging flexible talent to optimize workflows, manage costs, and mitigate team burnout. This strategy not only enhances productivity but also supports a healthy work environment, demonstrating that innovative solutions in legal staffing are more important than ever. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

The Legal Influencers series continues as Tim Haley sits down for a conversation with William Henderson, professor and Stephen F. Burns Chair on the Legal Profession at Indiana University Maurer School of Law. William is the founder and principal editor of Legal Evolution, an online publication that blends theory, data, and detailed examples of successful legal industry innovation. This publication is a dynamic hub of research spanning a range of topics, including the business of law, leadership in the law, and the economics shaping the legal profession. William sheds light on several fascinating aspects of his work, including: We dedicate this episode to the memory of Sergio Agustín Castillo Hernández, our talented producer who passed away unexpectedly over the summer. Sergio’s invaluable contributions to our podcast remain etched in Leveraging Latitude’s journey, and his enduring enthusiasm and consummate professionalism continue to inspire us. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

In the second installment of Latitude’s Legal Influencers series, Candice Reed speaks with Brittany Leonard, general counsel at Civix, a multinational technology company that provides services and software solutions to over 100 airports, 90 percent of U.S. nuclear power plants, and nearly half of the country’s secretaries of state. Candice and Brittany discuss Brittany’s inspiration for her creative, authentic, no-holds-barred posts providing strategic business leadership and pragmatic career advice to her online community of thousands of attorneys and legal operations professionals. They discuss: A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

In the first podcast in Latitude’s Legal Influencers series, Candice Reed speaks with Alex Su, head of community development at Ironclad, a contract lifecycle management platform. Best known for his TikTok videos satirizing the legal profession, Alex is the author of “The Unauthorized Guide To Getting Into Law School With Bad Grades” and the popular newsletter, “Off The Record”. Candice and Alex discuss Alex’s fascinating career journey and the legal trends he’s identified using his own experience and by staying close to the people on the front lines of the legal industry. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

Royalty visits Leveraging Latitude as the reigning Mrs. Universe catches up with Candice Reed. Juanita Ingram is an attorney, author, award-winning actress and filmmaker, and she is also the first black woman to be crowned Mrs. Universe. Juanita speaks about her unique career path and the life lessons she’s learned along the way. With her characteristic charm, wit, and vulnerability, she shares how she came to embrace her full self and the opportunity to be found in stepping outside the confines of established expectations. She discusses: The Expats International Ingrams;A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

Tim and guest host Michelle Culligan speak with Lisa Ann Cooney, Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary at Day & Zimmermann, listed by Forbes as one of America's Largest Private Companies. For Lisa, leadership and business are personal, and she shares the lessons she’s learned about advocating for herself and her career goals, inviting and responding to constructive criticism, adapting leadership styles to varying situations, and giving back through coaching and mentoring. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

Conference season is in full swing! On this episode of Leveraging Latitude, Candice Reed and Tim Haley speak with special guest Alexandra Guajardo, Conference Director for Legal Value Network’s LVNx Conference taking place September 21-23 in Chicago. Alexandra shares an exciting preview of the conference and Legal Value Network’s unique approach to accelerating evolution in the legal industry. From her experience serving as Pricing & Analytics Officer at Shell, Alexandra also shares her insights on the growth and trajectory of legal operations in supporting the people and the business of law. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

Special guest Michelle Browning Coughlin, Founder and President of MothersEsquire®, joins Candice and Tim in examining systemic gender biases in the legal profession and how they hurt both men and women. Michelle sheds light on “the motherhood penalty” across professions and suggests big and small pragmatic changes that legal institutions and employers can make to help support women and parents. Exchanging personal parenting and professional anecdotes, Michelle, Candice and Tim discuss what it means to “parent out loud” in the workplace. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

Lawyers are the last ones to give themselves permission to step back and think, “Am I happy, should I do something else?” We often are tasked with solving everyone else’s problems, but are reluctant to ask ourselves if what we’re doing is helping us meet our own career goals or priorities. Cynthia Moon and Joan Blackwell, Directors of Legal Recruiting and Placement at Latitude, share their personal experiences as attorneys who chose to pivot their legal careers into law-adjacent recruiting positions. They take us through their decision-making process when considering whether to leave the daily practice of law and the value of choosing work you love (over what is expected). In this episode, we talk about looking forward to Monday mornings, finding meaningful work slightly outside the practice of law, and asking ourselves the important questions, “Is the work I’m doing now fulfilling? Is it helping me achieve my current professional and personal goals? Can I leverage my legal experience to do something else I might enjoy more?” A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

All eyes will be on Indianapolis as the College Football Playoff National Championship Game is scheduled for Jan. 10, at Lucas Oil Stadium. On this Leveraging Latitude episode, Tim Haley talks to Kobi Wright, Chief Legal Officer & Business Operations Director for the Capital Improvements Board of Managers (CIB), and Eric Neuburger, Attorney & Stadium Director for Lucas Oil Stadium, about their unexpected career paths and their work to bring this game (and other high profile events) to the city of Indianapolis. They also talk about remaining open to opportunities that may come into your life as you never know where they will take you. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

Candice Reed talks to Brad Blickstein about the trends in Legal Ops over the past 13 years and his 14th Annual Law Department Operations Survey – open to Legal Operations professionals right now. Eligible professionals should participate, and by participating can learn what the Legal Futurist is learning about the growing role of Legal Ops in the market. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

Tim paraphrases Billy Madison and Candice defends herself. Our special guest this week, Lucian Pera, sets them both straight with his expertise on the topic of legal ethics and how that relates to working remotely. This is a very current topic as more and more attorneys adapt to a pandemic reality. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

The traditional law firm secondment has been used for more than 50 years to help in-house clients expand their internal bench strength to meet peak work demands. However, that doesn't mean that this model is without its disadvantages. In this episode, Candice interviews her Leveraging Latitude co-host Tim Haley and Latitude CEO Ross Booher about "The Secondment Trap" on the heels of a National Law Review article they recently wrote outlining why this traditional model is not always the best option and how utilizing experienced flexible legal talent can positively impact the client-firm relationship, while also providing cost savings and protecting associates' career trajectories. This turns the trap into a win-win-win scenario. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.

In this episode, Candice talks with Yanika Smith-Bartley, lawyer and Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer at Asurion – a global industry leader in mobile insurance, technology, and support – which has been repeatedly recognized for fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Nikki provides a primer for companies and law firms looking to increase the diversity of their teams by discussing specific and proven strategies for creating and sustaining a culture of diversity and inclusion and why it matters. A podcast by Latitude Legal - Flexible Legal Talent.