In-House Counsel Chronicles

In this episode, Anna Agronov shares her journey from in-house paralegal to senior legal leader in fintech, emphasizing the importance of curiosity, leadership, and responsible AI use. Discover how she scaled her legal team, fostered trust, and integrated innovative tools to enhance legal operations. 

In this episode of In-House Counsel Chronicles, Shawna Rosner sits down with Sean Radcliffe, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at R1 RCM, for a wide-ranging conversation about the evolving role of in-house legal leaders and what it takes to succeed as both a legal advisor and strategic business partner.

Drawing on his experience across multiple industries, Sean discusses the pivotal moments and career moves that shaped his path, as well as how technology continues to transform the way legal teams operate. He shares his perspective on balancing innovation with regulatory requirements in healthcare, navigating cybersecurity and privacy risk, and working effectively in high-growth and private equity-backed environments.

The conversation also explores how General Counsel and in-house lawyers can earn a stronger voice in business strategy, build and develop effective legal teams, and use technology to work smarter and create greater value for the organizations they serve.

Shawna and Sean also discuss what the next generation of in-house lawyers will need to succeed as the profession continues to evolve.

In this episode Tania Bryant, Chief of Cybersecurity and Technology Regulation at Marsh, shares her remarkable career journey—from the U.S. Air Force to government service, Big Tech, and now leading cybersecurity and technology regulation for one of the world's largest professional services firms.

In this episode, we discuss:
🔹 The pivotal career moments that shaped her path
🔹 How curiosity and continuous learning can open unexpected doors
🔹 Why today's in-house lawyers must think like business partners, not just legal advisors
🔹 The expanding role of cybersecurity, data governance, AI, and third-party risk
🔹 What legal leaders need to know about AI governance and emerging technologies
🔹 How to build trust and collaborate across legal, technology, compliance, and business teams
🔹 The skills and mindset that will define the next generation of legal leaders

What does it take to move from being a lawyer to becoming a true business leader?

In this episode of In-House Counsel Chronicles, I sit down with Cary Zimmerman, Chief Legal & Compliance Officer at GBX Group, to discuss her 21-year legal career spanning law firms, startups, public companies, and executive leadership.

Cary shares insights on transitioning from legal advisor to strategic executive, developing leadership skills, and growing into what she calls your "executive self." She also discusses building credibility with business leaders, leading through organizational change, and the evolving role of legal departments.

The conversation explores the impact of artificial intelligence on the legal profession, the future of legal operations and analytics, and the skills today's attorneys need to remain relevant and effective leaders in a rapidly changing environment.

In this episode, I sit down with Natasha Bowman, General Counsel of NeilMed Pharmaceuticals to talk through her transition from litigation to leading the legal function of a family-owned business.

We discuss: building legal systems from scratch; navigating the realities of being the sole in-house counsel; how AI is actually being used in day to day legal work; practical advice for networking and career growth; and unique considerations when supporting a family-owned business

Her perspective as a sole GC in a family-owned business is especially insightful.

In this episode, Valissa Turner Howard, Chief People Officer & General Counsel at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and I talk about:

 • Building a nontraditional path from law school to executive leadership

 • Lessons from the Inspector General’s office that still shape her decisions today

 • What it really looks like to lead both legal and HR

 • Using your legal career as a vehicle for community impact

One of my favorite takeaways: “Think intentionally about impact—not just title”

In this episode, Kristen Nelson, General Counsel at Chase Properties, joins me on In-House Counsel Chronicles to share her path from private practice to leading the legal function in a real estate organization.

We talk about what it really means to be in-house:
 • Being part of the business, not just advising it
 • Building a team that fits your culture
 • Navigating change and growth

One of my favorite takeaways: “Be patient and always bet on yourself.”

If you're in-house or thinking about the move, this one is worth a listen.

 In this episode of In-House Counsel Chronicles, host Shawna Rosner speaks with Jason Hollander, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Diebold Nixdorf, about his journey from business litigation in private practice to leading an in-house legal function. Jason shares insights on the realities of in-house work, the importance of serving as a trusted business partner, and how understanding both the business and regulatory landscape allows legal teams to deliver practical solutions. He also discusses the leadership skills that shape successful in-house lawyers, and how curiosity, mentorship, and openness to opportunity have influenced his career. The conversation explores the evolving role of AI in legal departments, highlighting both its efficiency benefits and the need for thoughtful human oversight. Jason closes with advice for aspiring in-house attorneys: stay curious, develop expertise, and focus on adding real value to the business. 

In this episode, I sit down with Omair Khan to explore a legal career shaped by curiosity, adaptability, and strategic risk taking.

Omair shares how he built a strong foundation at two of the biggest law firms and ultimately transitioned in house at Trusted Health and Iodine now Waystar during a time of unprecedented change.

We discuss:

What tax training teaches you about business strategy

Navigating regulatory compliance in healthcare during COVID

Building a legal function inside a high growth company

Why AI governance is becoming essential for trust and innovation

The power of networking and mentorship for law students and junior lawyers

Join me as I dive into Sara Horvath's journey from law school to becoming a powerhouse in-house attorney!  Sara opens up about her journey from law school to becoming a General Counsel and how embracing a non-linear career path shaped her growth along the way. In this episode, Sarah reflects on building her foundation at Sidley Austin, transitioning in-house at Whirlpool, and stepping into a role with Ranpak that blends legal, business, and HR leadership. We talk about what it really means to be a “utility player,” how to navigate work-life integration, and why mentorship and curiosity matter so much early in your career.

💡 Key takeaway: Your career path might not be linear, and that’s perfectly okay! Embrace unexpected turns and new opportunities.