The Jabot

In this episode, Kathryn interviews Catherine Dawson, General Counsel at Affinipay, discusses her career transition from big law to in-house counsel, emphasizing her interest in technology. She also talks about the benefits of using AI in legal practice, such as task automation and increased efficiency. Dawson recounts her experience of working part-time while starting a family, emphasizing the possibility of work-life balance in law. She provides advice to parents on navigating their careers; suggesting reevaluation and adaptation based on changing situations. Highlights Episode Resources https://www.affinipay.com/company/about-us/https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-d-dawson 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

In this episode, Kathryn interviews Erin Gordon, author of "Look What You Made Me Do", a memoir exposing a toxic culture in a prominent law firm. Erin shares her experience of continuous micro-harassments, personal defamation, and inadequate work allocation, leading to extreme stress and impeding her professional growth. Despite having a strong legal case against the firm, practical difficulties meant she had to endure the environment with minimal improvement. Highlights Episode Resources https://eringordonauthor.com/ 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 SpotifyLeave a review on Apple Podcasts

In this episode, Kathryn interviews Dina Segal, the Chief Legal Officer at Gusto, and discusses her personal and professional journey including her transition from a big law firm to an in-house counsel position and her experiences as a working mother. She speaks about the Lexis Plus platform's innovative Judicial Brief Analysis tool and highlights the importance of understanding the business, building trust, and creating impactful solutions. Dina, a board member of the SunLaw Group, which supports women in-house counsel, also talks about the challenges faced by women in the legal profession. Dina emphasizes work-life balance and advises against measuring balance on a day-to-day basis. She promotes mental health awareness in the legal industry and encourages self-forgiveness on tough days. Highlights Episode Resources https://gusto.com/company-news/the-rise-of-women-entrepreneurs 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

In this episode, directors Cara Bain and Allison Rosner from Major Lindsay in Africa discussed the trajectory of their legal careers and the importance of workplace partnerships. While detailing their unique career paths, they stressed the benefits of diverse backgrounds and perspectives in enhancing team performance. They encouraged listeners to be receptive to diverse opportunities, stay proactive, and be open-minded in their careers. Highlights Episode Resources https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-rosner-b837736 https://www.mlaglobal.com/en/people/cara-bain?byconsultantorauthor=cara-bain 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

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 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 Episode Resources https://www.bal.com/people/frieda-garcia/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2L24flp-cY 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 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 Episode Resources https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01OU2Y5TmNwhttps://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 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 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 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 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 Episode Resources https://parade.com/author/natalie-e-norfushttps://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 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

Kathryn speaks with Tiffany Obeng, author and lawyer, who shares her journey into law and children's literature. Inspired to become a lawyer at a young age, she highlights the need for diverse portrayals of professions in children's literature, starting with her book 'Andrew Learns about Lawyers.' Tiffany challenges the notion that black boys don't enjoy reading, and despite criticism, remains committed to writing books featuring black characters. She's hopeful that her work will not only diversify children's literature but also future workplaces by opening children's eyes to various careers, with an upcoming book exploring being a chef. Highlights Episode Resources https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08GMB1M3G 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 speaks with Kelly Olivier and Allyson West, the founders of The Themis Group Trial by Women in Hale & Monico. They discussed their recent trial and its highs and lows. They remain committed despite a disappointing result. They also shared their future plans for Themis - to grow, reach more women, and serve as a powerful force for women's issues and rights. They adhere to the client-first approach and select their cases carefully. Success aside, Kelly and Allyson find their commitment, authenticity, and empathy from being women make it a rewarding profession, and they aim for Themis to be a platform where women lawyers and clients feel respected and heard. Highlights Episode Resources https://www.halemonico.com/themis-trial-by-women/ 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 speaks with Catherine Kemnitz about her career in law. Catherine shares her journey from pursuing her law degree at 17, working at Thomson Reuters, to becoming the Chief Strategy and Development Officer at Axiom. They discuss the launch of revolutionary legal research platform, Lexis Plus, and the value of diversity in the legal profession. Catherine advises young professionals to pursue their passion, continually learn, and adapt to the transformation brought by technology. The Axiom business model, allowing creativity and flexibility in legal careers, is also discussed, along with the impact of remote working due to the pandemic. Highlights Episode Resources https://www.axiomlaw.com/blog/author/catherine-kemnitzhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinekemnitz 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 and guest Jane Spinak, a Columbia Law School professor, discuss the issues with the U.S. court system's handling of child delinquencies. Jane argues that the system causes more harm than good, often exacerbating issues rather than resolving them. She believes the approach towards these cases should be shifted from courts to supporting communities, to provide more beneficial outcomes for families and children. Jane also calls for the abolition of family courts as they fail to address underlying problems like poverty and structural inequality. She encourages a focus on listening to and aligning with impacted communities for a more supportive system. Highlights Episode Resources https://www.law.columbia.edu/faculty/jane-m-spinak https://www.amazon.com/Jane-M-Spinak/e/B0CBZFWG4J/ref=zg_bsnr_g_10777_bl_sccl_19/000-0000000-0000000 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

Kathryn interviews attorney Nichad Davis who shared his journey to law school and his legal work post-graduation, particularly in civil rights where he achieved policy changes and settlements for clients. Nichad emphasized the importance of supporting aspiring legal professionals, especially those from diverse backgrounds. He urged people to persist despite potential barriers, while challenging discriminatory policies and systems. Nichad also highlighted the power of networking and community support and discussed his strategies for avoiding burnout. Highlights Episode Resources https://www.farrin.com/attorney/nichad-davis/ 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 interviews Adrienne Prentice, CEO of Keep Company, discussing work-life balance, focusing on the challenges faced by caregivers and working parents, which affect people of all genders. Adrienne, once a corporate attorney, emphasizes the need for skills in managing professional boundaries, a training lacking in many industries. She suggests the need for a review of incentive structures in law firms and professional services firms. Additionally, she shares tips for managing work-life balance, including prioritizing what's essential, and effective time management to avoid feelings of guilt and overwhelm. Highlights Episode Resources https://www.keep-company.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrienneprentice 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