ICYMI, there's a sea change happening at law firms. Progressive firms like Husch Blackwell are recognizing that law practice isn't a one-size-fits-all career. After noticing that colleagues who left the firm for in-house roles were unprepared or maybe didn't find the right fit, Glynias worked with the professional development team led by Sommer Bougie and in-house lawyers from the firm's client base to develop a program to help its own attorneys explore in-house careers.  The firm estimates...

Considering a job with Are you struggling to understand the difference between restricted stock, options and appreciation rights? How should you evaluate a compensation package that includes equity? It all comes down to risk tolerance and timing. Eric Clark, CEO of financial planning firm BCWM is in The Legal Department to demystify these and other common incentive compensation vehicles. A former college baseball player, Eric shares his thoughts on managing risk and knowing when to swing...

Valerie Portillo leads the legal department and law firm integration at Diversity Lab, the organization that pioneered DEI for the legal profession. The Diversity Lab convened a hackathon of legal leaders at Stanford Law School, where the Mansfield Certification was developed. This framework has become "the" standard to measure diversity and inclusion at more than 300 law firms nationwide.  In this episode, we dive into the Mansfield Certification and how to engage with law firms on staffing...

In this jam-packed episode, Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire, President of 50/50 Women on Boards, pulls back the curtain on what it takes to land a seat on a corporate board. In a conversation tailored specifically for lawyers, Betsy discusses why lawyers need more than governance experience to serve on corporate boards. She shares why building a network of business contacts is an essential asset for your board search, why lawyers need to develop a specialty in an area that companies want, and how to...

The client's definition of “a good lawyer” is different than yours." "Harry Potter's Lawyer" in-house veteran Dana Lira SVP Legal at Warner Brothers Discovery shares tactics for being a good business partner and building relationships with clients. We talk about why communication is one of the hardest "soft skills" to master in-house and how you can grow your career by finding the white space in exploring a new area.  

Scott Becker created a massive media company while working as a lawyer. Over several decades, he and his CEO, Jessica Cole, built Becker's Healthcare, the largest media company focused solely on the healthcare industry. Today, with several daily newsletters, podcasts, conferences, and other events, Scott and Jessica develop an essential community for all healthcare business leaders. In this episode, hear how Scott built Becker's by doubling down on his passion and motivation for team building...

In this "how to" episode, Michael Melcher, executive coach and author of Your Invisible Network, is in The Legal Department to share strategies for building your network. Relationships are essential to career success and can be a source of joy and fulfillment in life. In Your Invisible Network, Michael says that "relationships are a form of wealth under your control." While sometimes the path to success is not always so clear, building and leveraging your network is something you can do to...

If you’re a busy GC and you think you don’t have the time to think about legal operations, then you’re probably the very person who needs it the most. It’s a force multiplier that many GCs don’t know existed. On today's episode of The Legal Department Mary O'Carroll, former director of legal operations for Google, offers the "why" for GCs considering whether to invest in legal operations. Mary shares the six key metrics all GCs should track to demonstrate the value of the legal department and...

Are you overwhelmed with worry about looming cyber threats and feel like your organization is a sitting duck? Dominique Shelton Leipzig, a privacy and cybersecurity partner at Mayer Brown, and also one of the world's leading thought leaders in digital privacy and data governance is here to give you a plan of action. On today's episode, Dominique shares a 6-step action plan for how The Legal Department can help make organizations cyber safe and future proof. Dominique's passion for data...

Lawyers focus on developing technical skills and learning the law, but few of us spend much time on developing ourselves as leaders or cultivating a network. Scott Westfahl, Professor of Practice and Director of Executive Education at Harvard Law School, is here to tell you that technical skills are only one leg of the stool – to succeed in The Legal Department, lawyers must develop their leadership skills and build relationships. And of course, we must invest in developing our teams. Scott...

Litigation management is meat and potatoes for most in-house legal departments, but it's a rare case that goes up on appeal. The stakes are higher in those cases, and you need expert counsel to help navigate the process. Appellate specialist M.C. Sungaila is in The Legal Department to tell you what you need to know. She has appeared before many state and federal appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. M.C. also knows a lot about the...

On this episode of The Legal Department, Chris Weber, Managing General Counsel of the iconic McDonald's corporation underscores again why building strong relationships is crucial to success in-house. Whether he is navigating tough governance issues, working with board members, or advising on executive comp under the Golden Arches, Chris shows why fostering a state of trust at your company is an essential skill. For professional development and team building, he also recommends reflecting "in...

What do you do when a crisis hits your organization? Anne Marie Malecha, CEO of crisis communications firm Dezenhall Resources, shares tips on how to survive. Starting from aligning internally on the key objectives and using those as a north star to align legal and comms to weather the storm. Anne Marie provides concrete advice on establishing crisis objectives, a communications protocol, setting up engagements and also paying attention to self-care in the heat of battle. You won't want to...

Deborah Solmor worked as a litigator at Skadden Arps and later as deputy general counsel and chief compliance officer of a public company. Despite these 20+ years of legal experience, the General Counsel role was "like nothing I had done in my career." Finding few resources for women lawyers new in their GC role, Deborah took the unlikely step of building an educational program tailor-made for women GCs and created "Ready Set GC." Ready Set GC is dedicated to supporting women in their early...

Employment law matters, especially #metoo complaints and investigations are meat and potatoes for an in-house attorney. In this episode, veteran employment lawyer Allison West shares the fundamentals of workplace investigations. She provides best practices for engaging investigators including how to avoid legal traps, ensuring independence and maintaining credibility throughout the process. Allison is an investigator, trainer, and coach who has conducted workplace investigations and...

Antitrust is a highly technical area, but with increasing scrutiny from state and federal agencies, it’s an area that in-house counsel needs to know. In this in-depth episode, Antitrust expert Leigh Oliver of Clifford Chance breaks down four key areas for in-house counsel. Tune in and find out what should be on the "worry wall” in The Legal Department. 

Optimal performance in The Legal Department requires optimal health and wellness. In this bonus episode, health and wellness expert Jenn Zerling shares the five anchors for optimal health. Known as the "JZ High Five," these five steps will help you level up at work and in life. You should have a strong foundation of optimal health and avoid gambling with the disease. Nutrition, Hydration, Fitness, Sleep, and Management are the five areas you need to look at for optimal health. Be sure to...

Do you want to level up your profile as a legal thought leader? Gain exposure and showcase your knowledge and experience by getting a speaking gig at a conference. If this sounds like a stretch goal, Nas Panwar, Chief Production Officer of the International Performance Management Institute, offers concrete tips to get you there. Nas has produced thousands of events, conferences, and expert panels in a variety of industries, including legal, compliance, privacy, human resources, IT, and many...

It can seem like a sleepy topic, until it isn't. Insurance is an asset that all organizations need, so it is incumbent on in-house attorneys to understand insurance fundamentals. In today's episode of The Legal Department, insurance specialist Jacque Burke from Cooley LLP breaks down the basics of insurance with Stacy Bratcher, as well as what in-house attorneys need to know to protect and optimize this essential asset.

Building relationships extends outside of The Legal Department. In this episode, legal recruiters Edina Beasley and Heather Fine of Major Lindsey & Africa take us behind the curtain to learn what companies are looking for in their next general counsel or chief legal officer. Heather and Edina share how to build a relationship with recruiters, how to position your LinkedIn profile to get noticed and how to answer tough questions during the recruiting process – including how to negotiate...

Jeannine Taylor of Keck Medicine of USC shares her journey into a senior leadership position at a top 20 academic medical center in this episode of The Legal Department podcast. While leading the legal team at a $3 billion health system, Jeannine also serves as president of the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, California's largest women's bar association. Her leadership development in the legal department showed how she values the feedback from her team, which paved her growth....

Success isn't just about winning cases; it's finding fulfillment, breaking free from the legal box, and having the courage to trust yourself. Today's guest is Glenn Llopis, executive coach, Forbes contributor, best-selling author and former talent scout for Love Connection. He discusses breaking free from professional constraints and unleashing your true potential. As he shares his story, he shows the significance of self-awareness and the courage to challenge societal norms. Glenn emphasizes...

Joe Schohl set out to become a public company GC before turning 40. He wrote this goal on a piece of paper and carried it in his pocket until he landed a General Counsel role at the nation's largest dialysis provider, Davita, at age 34. He later became Chief Legal Officer of Radiology Partners and also founded the health law firm General Counsel West, where he currently serves as Chairman. A lifelong learner, Joe recently became an ICF-certified executive coach. In this episode, he shares his...

It is quite the leap to go from in-house counsel to the board of directors. The transferable skills are definitely there, but there are governance essentials you have to practically learn on the job. We talk about this fascinating topic with today’s guest. Lisa Hatton Harrington has been Corporate Secretary and Chief Legal Officer to global, publicly traded companies, privately held companies and is on the board of directors of public companies, private companies and several non-profits. In...

Detroit Lions Senior Vice President and General Counsel Maggy Carlyle shares how she started her career in sports and landed an internship with the Kansas City Chiefs during the financial crisis and roles at the San Jose Sharks, PAC 12 Conference, and the San Francisco 49ers. She shares what it means to be a sports lawyer, her day-to-day as a senior legal executive of an NFL team, and how to demonstrate ROI of your legal department. She also offers tips for The Legal Department on what to do...