In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Akiva Shapiro, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher litigation partner and chair of the firm's New York administrative law and regulatory practice group. Akiva discusses his unconventional journey into law, from aspiring writer and academic to a respected litigator recognized for his appellate, constitutional, media, e…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Matthew Galando, Director of Professional Development at K&L Gates during the NALP's 2024 annual education conference in Boston, Massachusetts. With 22 years at K&L Gates, Matthew shares his journey in law firm professional development, focusing on local and global training programs that span business deve…

In this week's episode, Sigalle interviews Chelsey Parrott-Sheffer, the Director of Professional Development at Saul Ewing. Chelsey shares her unique journey into legal professional development, starting from being a history major and a paralegal to becoming a certified executive coach with 14 years of experience in the legal field. She discusses t…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Tiffany Jordan, Director of Coaching and Planning at Troutman Pepper, recorded live at the NALP's 2024 Annual Education Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. Tiffany shares her unique journey within the legal profession, from deciding to become a lawyer at a young age to transitioning into roles beyond trad…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Jennifer Lucas-Ross, the Director of Attorney Recruiting and Professional Development at Morris James, recorded live at the NALP's 2024 Annual Education Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. Jennifer shares insights into her journey from pharmaceutical marketing to leading professional development within th…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Alain Mathieu, Associate Attorney at Mintz, a full service AmLaw 100 law firm employing approximately 600+ attorneys serving clients worldwide. Alain shares how his grandfather's political stance in Haiti inspired his legal career, highlighting the sacrifices and dedication needed for success while undersc…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Puja Bhatia, Senior National Attorney at For The People, an organization that supports prosecutors to look back at past sentences, and safely bring people home from prison. Puja discusses how her work enables prosecutors to reflect on their previous recommendations and bring safe early releases for convict…

In this week long series, Lawyers Who Lead covers insights from 2024 ABA Tech Show in Chicago, Illinois. In episode four, we interview Mathew Kerbis, founder of Subscription Attorney, a law firm offering limited scope legal services through a monthly subscription model. Having spent nine years in private practice, Mathew started the Subscription At…

In this week long series, Lawyers Who Lead covers insights from 2024 ABA Tech Show in Chicago, Illinois. In episode three, we interview Gyi Tsakalakis, the president of Attorney Sync, a digital marketing company that helps law firms grow their businesses. Gyi's discusses the importance of online visibility for lawyers and how his company leverages …

In this week long series, Lawyers Who Lead covers insights from 2024 ABA Tech Show in Chicago, Illinois. In episode two, we interview Greg Siskind, co-founder of Siskind Susser, P.C. one of the leading immigration law firms in North America. Greg, a renowned legal professional with over three decades of experience, shares his thoughts on integratin…

In this week long series, Lawyers Who Lead covers insights from 2024 ABA Tech Show in Chicago, Illinois. In episode one, we interview Stephanie Everett, the CEO of Lawyerist. Stephanie, a pioneer in the legal tech space and a recognized contributor to legal tech and innovation, delves into her journey from owning a law firm to becoming a business c…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Amol Sinha, Executive Director of ACLU of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ). Amol discusses his experience advocating to advance civil liberties and to address critical issues like the racial justice implications of cannabis legalization, reducing incarceration during COVID-19, and disrupting elitism in the law industr…

In this episode of Lawyers Who Lead, host Sigalle Barness speaks with Ashley Herd, the founder of Manager Method. Ashley shares her unique journey from working as a lawyer and in-house HR leader to starting her own platform to address the human element in the legal industry. They discuss the importance of open and proactive communication in managin…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Erin Gerner, Founder of Powerhouse Lawyers, a community empowering women in law through community and connection. Erin shares how, after seven years practicing, she shifted her focus towards empowering women in the profession and dismantling the toxic narratives keeping women overwhelmed and stuck trying t…

In this episode of Lawyers Who Lead, guest host and Lawline's VP of Learning, Angelica Cesario, interviews Kathryn Marquez, the Global Director of Learning and Development at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner. Kathryn shares her journey from being a legal personnel assistant to leading a team focusing on professional skills and legal skills training. She…

In this episode of Lawyers who Lead, host Sigalle Barness interviews Meredith Zadnichek, the Director of Attorney Professional Development and Integration at Smith, Gambrell and Russell. They discuss Meredith's career shift from PR to law, the importance of relationship building in her role, and the impacts of incoming Generation Z lawyers on law f…

In this episode, host Sigalle Barness is live with leaders from NALP's 2023 PDI conference in Washington, DC. She interviews Isaiah Weedn, Sheppard Mullins' Director of Litigation Training. Isaiah discusses his journey from a young lawyer thrown into the deep end to becoming a Director of Litigation Training for Sheppard Mullin. He shares about his…

This interview focuses on the experiences of Suzanne Thomas, Director of Talent and Learning at Dentons, hosted by guest host and program attorney of the Lawline, Cali Franks, at NALP's 2023 PDI conference. Suzanne discusses her transition from practicing law to mentoring legal professionals, highlighting the importance of education and the benefit…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Stephanie Felder, Director of Professional Development and Diversity at the Groom Law Group at NALP's 2023 PDI Conference in Washington, D.C. With a rich 18-year history in the legal field, Stephanie delves into her journey, emphasizing her dedication to attorney development and diversity. A key focus of t…

In this week’s episode, host Sigalle Barness speaks with Colin Levy, Director of Legal at Malbek, a contract lifecycle management program that provides lifecycle AI functionality to improve an organization's contracting process. Colin shares his lawyer origin story of struggling to find work after law school in 2010 and piecing together temporary r…

On this week's episode: Sigalle dives deep with Ben Grimes, the multi-faceted former U.S. Army helicopter pilot turned military attorney, and now the visionary founder of BKG Leadership. BKG's mission is to transform legal realms by fostering leadership rooted in trust, transparency, empathy, and fervor. Journey with us as we trace Ben's unanticipa…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Mike Kasdan, Partner at Wiggin and Dana, and Founder of Lawyering While Human, an organization whose focus is to promote support for lawyers and law students through their mental health and wellness services. Mike shares his journey to becoming a lawyer and his battle with depression. Leveraging his experi…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Robert Chesnut, former General Counsel and Chief Ethics Officer at Airbnb and Author of the Bestseller "Intentional Integrity: How Smart Companies Can Lead An Ethical Revolution." Rob shares his journey from the U.S. Justice Department to eBay to Airbnb and the benefits of exploring new sides and angles of…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Craig Johnson, former New York State Senator and Founder and CEO of Long Point Advisors. Craig shares his journey from lawyer to elected official to accomplished lobbyist. His episode illuminates the intricacies involved with representing clients at various levels of government. Craig's story shows that co…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Aliza Shatzman, President and Founder of The Legal Accountability Project, a nonprofit that ensures that law clerks have positive clerkship experiences while extending support and resources to those who do not. Aliza shares how her clerkship experience quickly became one of mistreatment and harassment. Rea…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Paula J. Schauwecker, Principal and Chief Talent Officer at Beveridge & Diamond. As a more in-depth follow up to her short form interview in 2022, Paula shares her journey from singer songwriter to her dual roles in practice and professional development. She also emphasizes the importance of establishing t…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Kathy M. Zhu, Co-Founder and CEO of Streamline AI, an intake and workflows automation platform purpose-built for in-house legal teams. Kathy shares how her various pivots from law firm to in-house to entrepreneur helped her gain the courage and vision to build products with purpose. She also discusses the …

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews her first repeat guest, James Gatto, partner in Sheppard Mullins' IP Practice Group, Leader of the Open Source Team, and Co-Leader of the firm's Blockchain and FinTech team. Focusing deeply on leadership in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) space, Jim illuminates the various stakeholders and the correspondi…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Peter A. Halprin, partner in the New York office of Pasich LLP where he represents commercial policy holders and complex insurance coverage matters. He also acts as counsel for US and foreign companies in both domestic and international arbitrations, and is a member of numerous organizations including the …

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Jordana Confino, Assistant Dean of Professionalism and adjunct professor at Fordham Law School where she leads initiatives designed to promote student wellness, mentorship, and professional identity formation. She is also the founder of JC Coaching and Consulting, a company that partners with law firms and…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Kara Hardin, Founder and CEO of the Practice Lab, an organization that helps high performance companies cultivate human-centered businesses and practices. Kara shares how her experiences as a corporate and securities lawyer helped her explore what was actually meaningful in her life versus the story she wa…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Ariana Tadler, founding partner of Tadler Law LLP, a WBENC-certified, women-owned boutique law firm that offers an array of litigation and legal counseling services. Ariana shares how her value of direct communication has manifested into a business model of demarcation of client case management, a focus on…

In the final episode of our coverage of NALP's 2023 Annual Education Conference (AEC) in Vancouver, B.C., Sigalle interviews Anjie Vichayanonda, Chief Operations Officer and IP attorney at Creedon PLLC, a law firm that builds and protects great brands by providing experienced intellectual property and business legal counsel. Visit https://www.creed…

In episode three of our coverage of NALP's 2023 Annual Education Conference (AEC) in Vancouver, B.C., Sigalle interviews Neil Dennis, Director of Professional Development at Blaney McMurtry LLP, one of Canada's premier law firms based in the heart of Toronto’s financial district. Visit https://www.blaney.com/ to learn more. National Association for…

In episode two of our coverage of NALP's 2023 Annual Education Conference (AEC) in Vancouver, B.C., Sigalle interviews Erica Horton, Director of Professional Development & Training at Brown Rudnick, a firm that represents clients from around the world in high-stakes litigation and business transactions. Visit https://brownrudnick.com/ to learn more…

In this four-part series, Sigalle covers insights from NALP's 2023 Annual Education Conference (AEC) in Vancouver, B.C. In episode one, Sigalle interviews Melissa McGonigal Berry, Director of Attorney Development at Perkins Coie, a leading international law firm that is known for providing high-value, strategic solutions and extraordinary client se…

An attorney's responsibilities to manage client accounts got a lot riskier in the wake of recent bank failures and the threat of additional instability. In this week's episode, Sigalle shares the audio recording from Lawline's CLE course "Navigating Client Trust Accounts in a Challenging Banking Climate." Taught by Jordan Turk, Jonathan Grabb, and …

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Kelly Rittenberry Culhane, Co-founder and Co-managing partner at Culhane Meadows, the largest woman owned national full service law firm in the US. Kelly shares her journey to being a lawyer and the tough career decisions she had to make as a woman and mother. Taking her experiences, she co-created a law f…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Jennifer Thibodaux, Senior Legal Editor at Thomson Reuters and Founder of JMT Speaks, LLC. Jennifer shares how she left firm partnership after over a decade of practice to pursue a more authentic life for herself. By posing questions that helped her take the leap, she explains the process by which she cont…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Marc Snyderman, founder and CEO of Snyderman Law Group and managing partner at Well Bridge Capital. Marc shares how his experience being a lawyer and a COO helped him identify a huge gap in legal accessibility for small and mid-sized businesses. Determined to find a better way beyond the billable hour, Mar…

Concluding our week long coverage from the 2023 ABA Tech Show in Chicago, Illinois, Sigalle interviews Keith Lee, principal at Sidebar Ventures and founder of Associates Mind and Lawyer Smack. Keith shares his journey as a lawyer, author, and entrepreneur, while also providing his over 10 years of experience attending the ABA Tech Show. Keith's int…

Continuing our week long coverage of the 2023 ABA Tech Show in Chicago, Sigalle interviews Haley Altman, Strategic Advisor at Litera, the leading provider of workflow, collaboration, and data management solutions for law firms and legal teams globally. Haley discusses her journey from associate to partner to founding Doxly, a transaction management…

Continuing our week long coverage of the 2023 ABA Tech Show in Chicago, Sigalle interviews Cynthia Thomas, ABA Tech Show Co-Chair and owner of PLMC and Associates, a law firm management consulting company, which provides best practices in human resource and financial operations management to small and mid-sized firms. Cynthia shares her journey fro…

Continuing our week long coverage of the 2023 ABA Tech Show in Chicago, Sigalle interviews Niki Black, Senior Director, SME and External Education at MyCase, a legal practice management software. Niki shares her journey from practicing attorney to legal tech expert to ultimately working at MyCase. Focusing on being both an internal and external edu…

In this week long series, Sigalle covers insights from the 2023 ABA Tech Show in Chicago, Illinois. Next up is Paul Garibian, CEO and Co-Founder of Nota by M&T Bank, an innovative cloud-based platform that provides business banking solutions for attorneys managing solo and small firms. Although not a lawyer, Paul discusses how he is leveraging his …

In this week long series, Sigalle covers insights from 2023 ABA Tech Show in Chicago, Illinois. In episode one, Sigalle interviews Jazz Hampton, CEO and General Counsel at TurnSignal, a black-owned tech company that provides real-time legal guidance from an attorney to drivers, all while their camera records the interaction. Jazz describes his jour…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Andre Gharakhanian, Founder and Partner at Silicon Legal Strategy, a premier boutique law firm providing targeted, bottom-line oriented advice to tech startups, innovative entrepreneurs, and seasoned investors. Andre shares how he transformed his firm from just himself and one paralegal into one that spans…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Melissa J. Holloway, Vice Chancellor and General Counsel for North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, the nation's largest historically black college and university (HBCU), located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Melissa shares her journey from growing up in housing projects and being rai…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Shavon J. Smith, principal at the SJS Law Firm, PLLC and author of the Small Business Owner's Guide to Hiring an Attorney and the forthcoming book, Tell me About the Hard Part: Five Steps to help Businesses Face Solve and Prevent Problems. Shavon shares how leaving BigLaw marked her Freedom Day to focus on…

In this week’s episode, Sigalle interviews Jonathan Havens, managing partner at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr. Jonathan is also co-chair of the firm's Cannabis Law practice and the firm's Food, Beverage, and Agribusiness practice. Jonathan's shares his journey from interning on Capitol Hill as a teenager, to working at the FDA right out of law school,…