Beyond the Legal Lens Podcast

Natalie R. Birnbaum, Esq. is a healthcare regulatory attorney and a state policy consultant serving at the intersection of sex equity, healthcare technology & innovation, and reproductive, health, rights, and justice. She is the owner of the legal & policy consulting company, Repro Solutions, P.C., Of Counsel at Nelson Hardiman, LLP, and co-chair of the New York City Bar Association's Sex & Law Committee.

Wendy Heilbut provides legal solutions and guidance to high-growth companies: bridging the gap between traditional legal service and strategic advice. Along with her team, she supports companies navigating the development of novel intellectual property offerings, complex corporate negotiations, and innovative business developments. She has an innate ability to understand and communicate with parties on all sides. Wendy is well connected in the start-up, investor, and female founder ecosystem of New York City and loves making connections for her clients and contacts. Prior to founding Heilbut LLP, Wendy was the Managing Partner of a boutique law firm as well as an associate at a large global law firm; she also started and ran a non-profit for underserved mothers and worked at a start-up. When not tending to her clients and her team, Wendy is tending to her garden, her children, and her personal wellness. Wendy was Emily's guest on Beyond the Legal Lens once before: In July, 2022. Listen to that episode here: https://beyondthelegallens.libsyn.com/series-2-episode-5-wendy-heilbut-the-intersection-of-law-and-innovation

Eunsoo Choi is a dedicated 3L at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, on her way to becoming a healthcare litigator upon graduating in the Spring of 2024. She has gained valuable expertise both before and during law school. Currently serving as a Judicial Extern at the U.S. District Courts, Eunsoo is gaining invaluable insights into the intricacies of the legal system. She also spent two summers at prestigious firms, Barnes & Thornburg and Reed Smith, where she absorbed the thriving world of big law. Eunsoo had the pleasure of seconding to Blue Cross and Blue Shield in the summer of 2023, giving her a unique perspective on the intersection of law and healthcare. She also served as an Extern at Walgreens during the Fall Semester of 2022. Eunsoo's passion for healthcare law is deeply rooted in her personal experiences and her unwavering commitment to advocacy. She aspires to use her legal knowledge to make a meaningful impact, championing the causes she is passionate about. Solange Hackshaw graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Political Science and a B.S. in Communication Studies in 2021 from Boston University. As a Trinidadian-American immigrant, she is passionate about advocating for marginalized communities and challenging systemic inequities. Solange is currently a first-year law student at Duke University School of Law. Emily is available for coaching! Visit Beyondthelegallens.com

JoAnn Holmes, Esq. (“Jo") is an IP & digital assets attorney, Web3 advisor and founder of Holmes@Law. She consults with business leaders globally to navigate evolving Web3 legal and regulatory risks, and help clients leverage blockchain technologies into revenue ecosystems. With expansive experience as Outside General Counsel to international brands and tech companies, Jo has overseen multi-billion dollar intangible asset portfolios spanning more than 150 countries. And, she’s consistently closed lucrative agreements with IP innovators like Disney, Microsoft and the NFL. Jo serves on the inaugural Blockchain Law for Social Good Center board, and is featured among the global Top 100 Women of the Future™. She regularly advises elite accelerators like Techstars, Dapper Labs and the Atlanta Blockchain Center. Jo has spoken more than 30 times in the US and abroad, delivering pragmatic insights on blockchain law and Web3 revenue strategies for both public audiences, and in private corporate workshops. www.holmesatlaw.com Emily is available for coaching! Visit Beyondthelegallens.com

Elise Holtzman is passionate about attorney success and happiness! She is a former practicing lawyer, professional coach and trainer, and the Founder & CEO of The Lawyer’s Edge®, which works with law firms to grow thriving businesses by helping lawyers become better business developers and leaders. In addition to hosting The Lawyer’s Edge podcast and speaking frequently for law firms and bar associations, Elise is the creator of the Lawyers Making Rain™ program and the Ignite Women’s Business Development Accelerator. Elise earned a BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and her JD from Columbia Law School, where she was a senior editor of the Columbia Law Review and is now a Vice President of the Columbia Law School Association. Prior to founding The Lawyer’s Edge, Elise practiced law in New York City with AmLaw 100 firms Fried Frank and Morgan Lewis. https://thelawyersedge.com/about-us/meet-elise-holtzman/ Emily is available for coaching! Visit Beyondthelegallens.com

Dyllan Brown-Bramble is a NY Biglaw privacy and cybersecurity associate and a Senior Fellow at the Internet Law and Policy Foundry. At his firm, Dyllan maintains an active pro bono practice with a focus on advising low-income entrepreneurs and small businesses. He also serves on the VOLS Pro Bono Advocates Council and the junior board for the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project. While in law school, he was a Tech Law & Policy Scholar, represented clients in the Intellectual Property and Information Policy Clinic, was a research assistant at the Center on Privacy & Technology, and was a teaching assistant for Computer Programming for Lawyers and Legal Communication Design. He also worked as a legal intern at Morgan Stanley and SambaTV and as a fellow at Mount Sinai Innovation Partners and InSITE. Internet Law & Policy Foundry VOLS Pro Bono Advocates Council Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Emily is available for coaching! Visit Beyondthelegallens.com

Bree's Personal Story My roots lie on a corn, soybean, potato, and onion farm in Southeastern North Dakota, where I had the opportunity to manage crop variety and chemistry test plots. Occasionally, I even got behind the wheel of a tractor or combine. Growing up in this environment, I witnessed the remarkable impact of biotechnological, chemical, mechanical, and electrical innovations as they completely transformed not only my family's commercial agriculture operation but also our entire rural community. As an academic scientist, my journey has taken me on kayaking adventures across the lakes of Minnesota, living and working in the captivating landscapes of Iceland, picking cotton under the blazing Texas sun, and collaborating closely with regulatory officials in Kenya. I attended law school part-time and worked in various roles throughout the past four years. First, I served as a policy advisor on Capitol Hill. Then, I managed global business development for an antibody discovery contract research organization. Concurrently, my journey in patent prosecution began at an IP boutique firm and then most recently continued in big law. Outside of work, my rescue dog, Kai, and rescue horse, Rico, keep me active outdoors. I also enjoy engaging in various forms of physical activity, including yoga, [solid core], and Pure Barre. My love for holistic personal and professional development continuously drives me to keep learning and growing. I am also passionate about studying nutrition, and during COVID, I completed my Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Certificate. https://www.linkedin.com/in/breevculek/

Principled and approachable, Amy Kluesner is a trusted advisor who cares deeply about the clients she serves. She offers comprehensive advice to healthcare providers and private equity funds, providing counsel to public and private entities on mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, corporate governance matters and associated healthcare regulatory requirements. She identifies and mitigates risk, navigates organizations through growth and change and collaborates closely with business leaders to resolve complex legal issues. Amy’s industry know-how, coupled with her joyful personality, enable her to effectively and efficiently close deals. Before joining Barnes & Thornburg, Amy served as general counsel for a dental support organization (DSO) and for a private equity-backed healthcare company. She is adept at providing outside general counsel services to growing portfolio companies, particularly with regard to mergers and acquisitions and regulatory compliance in the DSO space. Amy also spent several years in private practice as a transactional attorney, representing domestic and global companies as both acquirers and sellers in asset and stock M&A deals. She is skilled in coordinating all aspects of a transaction and efficiently moving transactions from the initial letter of intent stage to closing. https://www.linkedin.com/in/amykluesner/

Zane is a corporate attorney at Gesmer Updegrove LLP in Boston, MA representing clients in their business transactions and assisting with their general corporate matters. Zane is originally from Albany, NY, and graduated from Boston College Law School in 2021. He started his legal career as a Private Equity Associate at Ropes & Gray LLP in Boston, MA. Zane is passionate about law and helping entrepreneurs with their business goals and challenges. He is also strongly committed to diversifying the legal profession and lawyer well-being and mental health. In Zane’s free time, he loves to read and go for long walks with his dog, Koda! Learn more about Emily's work helping lawyers find their dream careers at her website, or on her LinkedIn profile.

My guest this week, Ashleigh Giovannini, partners with domestic and international health care, digital health, health care innovation and life sciences businesses at all stages of development, to build solid legal and regulatory compliance foundations while balancing risk tolerance and acceleration toward strategic business goals. Additionally, she helps her clients devise creative approaches to complying with state, federal and international privacy and cybersecurity frameworks for health and other sensitive data and partners with a wide array of businesses to develop and negotiate unique data, technology and health care services contracts to optimize growth. As a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), Ashleigh has a clear understanding of emerging privacy and security issues in the health care industry. With this knowledge, Ashleigh makes it a point to deeply immerse herself in the business models of her clients to help them establish sustainable consumer trust while maximizing growth potential. Ashleigh values mentorship and has made it a personal mission to uplift up and coming professionals in the fields of law, digital health and health care innovation, and data privacy and cybersecurity. She is especially passionate about raising awareness for neurodivergence in the workplace. In her free time, Ashleigh enjoys resistance training, travel, antiquing, and crafting. She is in constant pursuit of new knowledge and is currently learning calculus and Italian. You can connect with Ashleigh on LinkedIn where she shares insightful commentary on emerging issues in tech, health care, data privacy and security, and Artificial Intelligence. Learn more about Emily's work helping lawyers find their dream careers at her website, or on her LinkedIn profile.

Bethany Corbin is an attorney, activist, and advocate seeking to revolutionize women’s health through powerful thought leadership, strategic business and legal guidance, and educational/policy advocacy. She is passionate about helping entrepreneurs transform the way society thinks about human health by disrupting and enhancing the “standard” model of healthcare delivery.Overcoming her own women’s health experience, Bethany understands first-hand the challenges women face navigating a healthcare system that consistently dismisses and diminishes their pain. She’s actively working to break down social taboos and stigmas that attach to women’s health while enhancing respect for women’s privacy and autonomy. Bethany’s passion and activism make her a leading voice on women’s health innovation, femtech, and data privacy. She recently launched Feminnovation, Revolutionizing Women’s Health Through Advocacy, Education & Consulting, and you can also find her on her website. Learn more about Emily's work helping lawyers find their dream careers at her website, or on her LinkedIn profile.

Emily is a registered nurse who works at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri on the Cardiothoracic ICU, and she worked Covid ICU during the pandemic. She also works from home as a legal nurse consultant, who assists attorneys in cases such as medical malpractice, personal injury, product liability, toxic tort, and social security. I came across Emily’s profile on LinkedIn ,and was so curious to learn more about what she does for a living as a legal nurse consultant. We discuss how her role allows her to improve patient outcomes and provides her with a platform to be an advocate in her field. Learn more about Emily's work helping lawyers find their dream careers at her website, or on her LinkedIn profile.

Mysty Blagg is a second-career healthcare advocate that brings over twenty years of prior healthcare industry experience into the practice of law. She offers clients a unique and valued perspective derived from her previous careers as a health care compliance investigator, Medicaid appeals specialist, and a registered dental hygienist. Mysty has a passion for healthcare innovation and advises clients on regulatory, reimbursement, licensing, and litigation matters in the healthcare industry. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mystyblagg/ Learn more about Emily's work helping health tech and life sciences lawyers find their dream careers at her website, or on her LinkedIn profile.

Richard Hughes, IV, JD, MPH, is a partner at Epstein Becker Green where he provides legal and strategic counsel to biopharmaceutical and other clients with a particular emphasis on vaccines, prevention, and early intervention. He is also a professorial lecturer in law at The George Washington University Law School where he teaches vaccines and preventive services law. Richard returned to EBG last year after serving Vice President of Public Policy at Moderna during the COVID-19 pandemic and as Managing Director at Avalere Health where he built and led the Vaccines Team. He previously held roles with Merck and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, and as a gubernatorial appointee to the Arkansas State Board of Health. As a nationally recognized vaccine thought leader, he has led many efforts to expand access to vaccines and preventive services and improve public health outcomes. https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardhughesiv/ Learn more about Emily's work helping health tech and life sciences lawyers find their dream careers at her website, or on her LinkedIn profile.

Jeremy Muhlfelder is the Head of Legal Operations & Legal at VRChat (a leading social VR platform). Jeremy’s interest in entrepreneurship started at a young age where he took relevant courses that helped develop his interest in cutting edge technology. He began his legal career at Wilson Sonsini in their Corporate and Fintech Groups, which provided fantastic training for his current role. In this episode we discuss his trajectory from BigLaw to in-house and getting involved with the business side of his company (a dream career for many folks). We learn about his current projects and the ways he is building community. It’s a conversation you don’t want to miss. Learn more about Emily's work helping health tech and life sciences lawyers find their dream careers at her website, or on her LinkedIn profile.

Joshua is a certified professional coach that specializes in helping high-achieving professionals that struggle to stay fit or stay confident become stronger mentally and physically. After being a high school teacher, followed by five years of working as an associate at a big law firm in New York City, Joshua has identified and understands why high-achieving individuals struggle and how best to support them. In this episode, we discuss his pivot from lawyer to life coach and the incredible advice he provides for his clients’ journeys, often based on his personal experiences.

This conversation was recorded on August 26, 2022. Veronica McFall is the Director, Northeast Corridor Engagement at Cornell University. She is also a children's book author, and in 2020, she published her first children's book,A Visit to The Bahamas from A to Z. Veronica is a graduate of Colgate University and Teachers College, Columbia University. She resides in New Jersey with her husband, and they have three adult children. For more information about Veronica, please visit her website veronicamcfall.com About Emily: https://www.whistlerpartners.com/team/emily-witt

Andy Dale is General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer of Alyce, Inc. a B2B gifting and engagement platform. Andy leads all legal affairs including data privacy, strategic partnerships and corporate compliance. He has led the legal, privacy and compliance functions at SessionM which was acquired by Mastercard in 2019 and dataxu. Inc. an advertising technology company which is now owned by Roku. Andy was also an in-house lawyer at TD Ameritrade, worked in a corporate law firm and clerked for a judge in Baltimore. Andy received his BA from Colgate University, his JD from University of Baltimore and holds the IAPP’s CIPP/US and CIPP/E certifications. Evan Bienstock provides counsel and guidance to companies in all stages of their life cycles, from the seed of an idea to its execution and funding, and eventual exit. He works closely with founders, investors, boards and entrepreneurs across a wide range of technologies. Evan has handled and negotiated hundreds of venture capital and private equity financings for those providing and seeking capital. In addition, he is well-versed in corporate governance, securities laws, and mergers and acquisitions and regularly advises clients through complex exit transactions. And with a home in Brooklyn's DUMBO neighborhood (a nexus for many tech startups), Evan’s roots are firmly planted in the New York City startup community. About Emily: https://www.whistlerpartners.com/team/emily-witt

Rita Sheth is a lawyer, writer and entrepreneur. She founded MERCURY DASHA a phygital fashion and art brand that creates fashion for real life and the metaverse in 2021. She continues to practice law as a dispute resolution lawyer, and also shares her experiences and insights on her personal development and coaching platform, The Many Sides, through which she aims to help women like herself maximize their potential. About Emily: https://www.whistlerpartners.com/team/emily-witt Edited and Produced by Mark McDonald. Launch your podcast at https://yourbusinesspodcast.net

Robert Ingalls calls himself a "recovering attorney". He's also a professional speaker and the founder of LawPods, one of the first podcast production agencies for law firms. At LawPods, Robert and his team help some of the premier law firms in the world launch and grow branded podcasts that build relationships and drive revenue. Robert's path to Podcast Producer to the Am Law 100 was anything but direct. For years he battled anxiety from the pressure, long hours, and constant conflict of a litigation career. When he was finally ready to throw in the towel, he had no idea what to do next. With no business/marketing background and only a love for podcasts he discovered while creating a podcast for his law firm, Robert decided to see if lawyers would pay him to help them launch podcasts. With very few takers in the early days, Robert spent two years in a corporate banking gig, grinding nights and weekends to finally bring LawPods to life.. As a speaker, Robert frequently speaks on topics including Positioning Your Firm Podcast for Success, Prioritizing Mental Health, Entrepreneurship, and Law Office Technology. In his spare time, he enjoys teaching podcasting at community events, spending time with his wife and daughters, and skateboarding/snowboarding. About Emily: https://www.whistlerpartners.com/team/emily-witt Edited and Produced by Mark McDonald. Launch your podcast at https://yourbusinesspodcast.net