B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes

John Iino's law firm journey took him across the globe to Japan, where he was excited to connect with his roots. This experience set the stage for a career that would see him rise to the heights of the legal profession, not just as a lawyer, but as a champion for diversity and inclusion. In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, he chats with Merle Vaughn about diversity, identity, and leadership.

With dreams of becoming an NAACP lawyer, Richard Gray set his sights on law school at an early age. After interning with the legal defense fund, he changed directions to focus his law school experience on courses he found interesting—leading him to urban education courses that “spoke to him.” As a result, Richard has applied his legal training to education reform. In this episode, he and Merle Vaughn discuss the evolution of critical terms in our social vocabulary, the generational shifts that shape our worldviews and the potency of education as a tool for change.

Mindy Gulati, Texas-based Civil Rights and DEI activist, was raised in Utah by grandparents who taught her the importance of standing up for herself and the rights of others. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Mindy shares her unique family story and explores her commitment to feminism and social equity.

Paul Watford recently made the unusual decision to step down from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals bench to return to private practice as a partner with Wilson Sonsini. In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, Paul shares what motivated him to make that decision and many others he has made throughout his inspirational professional journey.

Sonya Passi’s fierce advocacy to raise awareness of gender-based violence began when she was a teenager in the UK. Thinking she wanted to become a human rights lawyer, she went to Berkeley Law where she started her first nonprofit. In this episode of BS: beyond Stereotypes, Sonya discusses her activist work and its evolution to today. She also shares her personal journey as a lesbian woman choosing love over the traditional cultural expectations of her parents.

Moving to the States from the Caribbean to go to college was an eye-opening experience for Michelle Silverthorn—she went from being a member of the majority to being “the only.” In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, Michelle talks with Merle Vaughn about stereotypes, belonging, and inclusion and why she is committed to the work of change. They also explore how Michelle transitioned from practicing law to delivering a TEDx, making over 100 speeches per year, and founding her own diversity consulting firm.

People make assumptions about blonde-haired, blue-eyed Michael Rhodes, partner with Cooley LLP, and his perceived white privilege. But Mike has a long history with learning from experiences that push him out of his comfort zone and immerse him in different cultures. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Mike uses storytelling to demonstrate to Merle Vaughn why he believes diverse legal teams are imperative in Big Law.

Reinventing your legal career is possible—especially when you set your mind and intention toward your goals. Eric Burton had done everything right, but he had not followed his dream of becoming an entertainment lawyer. He found the courage to set audacious goals, which set him on a path to celebrating incremental victories. In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, Eric, who is openly gay, chats with Merle Vaughn about taking control of his career and why representation in the legal profession matters.

Going through life masking to fit in can be exhausting and lead to burn out. Learning to believe the way you are is the right way to be can unlock your power and potential. Courtney Munnings, Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule and Knowledge Sharing Specialist, successfully navigated law school and big law firm life prior to confirming she is autistic and dyslexic and has OCD. In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, Courtney shares her courageous journey with Merle Vaughn.

Inspired by her grandmother’s civil rights fame and the exposure her father gave her to cultural and economic differences growing up, Josie Duffy Rice solidified her desire to change the criminal justice system prior to attending Harvard Law School. She shares with Merle Vaughn why she decided not to practice law and to instead become a journalist. Her love for writing has led her to create content in all forms and to share marginalized people’s untold stories as she does in her latest podcast, Unreformed: The Story of the Alabama Industrial School for Negro Children.