The Future Is Bright Podcast

Join Chris Batz on his second episode of The Future is Bright Podcast as he welcomes guest speaker Lloyd Johnson to learn more about how he has taken the hardships in life and turned them into motivation to be a legal industry leader, influencer, and advocate for women and attorneys of color. Chris Batz spends this week's episode talking to Lloyd Johnson, born and raised in Santa Rosa, CA, an all-American track and field athlete turned legal industry convener and influencer. Johnson speaks about his life being raised within a black-owned janitorial business and how the events he saw and the people he surrounded himself with motivated him to turn to the legal profession. His legal career started as Deputy District Attorney in San Francisco and in-house counsel for IBM and Hewlett-Packard. He was then founder and Executive Director for the Minority Corporate Counsel Association and Women In-House Counsel Leadership Association. He conducted numerous in-house counsel leadership development workshops and events. He also was the publisher of the Inside Counsel Magazine and created the Diversity and Bar Magazine. From there, Johnson founded Chief Legal Executive, where he continues his legacy of programs and career development initiatives for women and attorneys of color. Lloyd created the first DE&I best practices research for corporate legal departments back in 1999/2000. This September he is releasing an updated and new report bringing visibility and insights to the execution of DE&I within corporate legal departments. Don't miss amazing leaders and legal specialists like Lloyd Johnson on Chris Batz's Podcast: The Future is Brigh

Join Chris Batz for the inaugural first episode of The Future is Bright Podcast as he brings on guest Dara Redler to learn about her legal career success at iconic brands and her passion for

transformation, authentic leadership, and giving back.

Chris Batz speaks to Dara Redler, born and raised in Pennsylvania and now resides in Atlanta, where she works remotely. She is the Chief Legal Officer at H&R Block, but before she got there, she had many other jobs that led her to this position. Redler reminisces that her love for learning and being challenged has helped open doors in her legal career. Her start began in Biglaw at Alston & Bird in Atlanta but quickly transitioned in-house to Coca-Cola for 17 years, where she held many leadership positions in its legal division. From there, Redler landed the chief legal role for Tilray, Inc., a leading global cannabis business. As she is now in H&R Block, Redler is excited to share her stories, successes, and contributions to these iconic corporate brands and the communities around her.

Don't miss the amazing leaders and change-makers like Dara Redler on Chris Batz's podcast; The Future is Bright.

I interviewed Stephanie Stuckey | Chief Executive Officer of Stuckey’s Corporation on Tuesday, October 26th, 2021. We discussed several topics such as:

• Becoming a Public Defender
• Family Legacy in Politics and Business 
• Justice System and Making Change through Legislature
• Sustainability and Resiliency for the City of Atlanta
• Family & Business is Complicated
• Love of Road Trips 
• Attorney and Politician Background Prepped her for CEO Role
• Advice for Attorneys Considering Entrepreneurship

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Links referred to in this episode:

• Stephanie Stuckey | LinkedIn Profile
• Letter from the CEO | Stuckey's Website
• Stuckey's Corporation | Website
• 100 Most Influential Georgians by Georgia Trend
• Sierra Club | Website
• EarthShare Georgia | Website
• Kasim Reed | Previous Mayor of Atlanta | LinkedIn
• The Rockefeller Foundation | 100 Resilient Cities
• Forbes Feature | Warren Buffet Owns Dairy Queen

I interviewed Kiwi Camara | Chief Executive Officer of DISCO on Friday, December 17th, 2021. We discussed several topics such as:

• Graduating Law School at 19
• Northwestern Fellow to Legal Tech CEO
• Bell Ceremony at NYSE
• Creating a Magical Product Experience
• Building a Platform for the Full Lifecycle of Litigation
• What’s to Love about Austin 
• 10 Year Predictions for Software Transforming Legal
• Diversity of Thought 
• Ballroom Dancing, Harvard Style

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Links referred to in this episode:

• Kiwi Camara | LinkedIn Profile
• Kiwi Camara | Website
• DISCO | Website
• 2019 Technology Fast 500 List by Deloitte
• 2020 Technology Fast 500 List by Deloitte
• 2021 Forbes Cloud 100 List
• Judge Harris Hartz | Federal Judicial Center Website
• Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
• Kent Radford | LinkedIn Profile
• Bessemer Venture Partners | Website
• RetailRoadshow.com
• Satya Nadella | Microsoft Website Profile
• Everly Well | Health Startup
• Cleveland Clinic | Website
• Best in Show | IMDb Website
• Wheel of Time | 15 Book Set

I interviewed Nancy Stern | Chief Executive Officer of Allston Holdings on Wednesday, August 18th, 2021.

• Her BigLaw Private Practice Years
• Becoming Allston’s First General Counsel
• Growing into the Role of CEO 
• Learning how Authenticity can Advance Your Career 
• How Success & Empathy Do Go Together 
• Balancing the Expectations of the Board and Management 
• Her Love for People Development
• The Importance of Making a Decision as an Attorney vs Self-Protectionism 
• Board Advice: Dig in and Help People

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Links referred to in this episode:

• Nancy Stern | LinkedIn Profile
• Allston Holdings | Website
• Katten, Muchin, Rosenman | Firm Website
• Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath | Firm Website
• exp Global Inc. | Company Website
• Judge Robert H. Cleland | Michigan Court Website
• University of Michigan | Website
• Carlton Jones | Markets Wiki Website
• CSE Magazine Article | Teng becomes exp
• Mellody Hobson | Ariel Investments | LinkedIn Profile

I interviewed Mark Menghini | Former EVP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary of Aegion Corporation on Thursday, September 30th, 2021. We discussed several topics such as:

• A St Louis Family of Attorneys
• Greensfelder & Being a Construction Attorney
• The Process of Deciding to go In-House
• Defining Value and Being an Effective Attorney
• A Legacy of Cultural Change 
• The Going Private Sale to Private Equity  
• Sherman & Sterling’s Value as Outside Counsel
• The Truth about Going In-House
• Leadership is about Earning Respect 
• Family, Marrying an Attorney, & Lake Time

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Links referred to in this episode:

• Mark Menghini | LinkedIn Profile
• Aegion Corporation | Website
• Greensfelder, Hemker, & Gale | Firm Website
• Professor Jules Gerard | Washington University Law Professor
• Andrew Manual | Greensfelder Website Bio
• David Morris | LinkedIn Profile
• Insituform Pipe Lining | Website
• New Mountain Capital | Website
• Sherman & Sterling | Firm Website
• John Marzulli | Attorney Bio
• Wendy Menghini | LinkedIn Profile

I interviewed Yvette Ostolaza | Chair-Elect of Sidley Austin’s Management Committee on Tuesday, August 17th, 2021.

We discussed several topics such as:

• Her Family Immigration Story from Cuba
• The Benefit of Sales and Journalism experience 
• Her Response to Leadership Opportunities 
• The Lateral Move that involved 50 attorneys 
• Why Sidley Austin felt like Home 
• Maintaining an Active Docket while leading the Firm
• 3 Trends to Watch 
• Advice: Act Like an Owner + Public Speaking + Be a Lifelong Learner 
• Boards look for P&L Experience 
• DE&I Positioning 
• Family & Love for Texas

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Links referred to in this episode:

• Yvette Ostolaza | Firm Website Biography
• Yvette Ostolaza | LinkedIn Profile
• Sidley Austin | Firm Website
• Yvette Ostolaza | Chambers USA Profile
• Texas Lawyer 2020 Trailblazer List Feature | Pages 16-17
• The American Lawyer 2021 South Trailblazers List

I interviewed Debbie Read | Managing Partner of Thompson Hine on Thursday, June 3rd, 2021.

We discussed several topics such as:

• Analytical Thinking
• Choosing Thompson Hine 
• Family Values that Formed Her
• Rising to Meet High Expectations
• Innovating to Meet Client Needs 
• Changing Lawyer Behavior is Hard 
• SmartPaTH, Thompson Hine's Service Delivery Approach
• Servant Leadership Creates Success for the Firm
• Reading Recommendation

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Links referred to in this episode:

• Deborah Read | Firm Website Biography
• Deborah Read | LinkedIn Profile
• Thompson Hine | Firm Website
• Thompson Hine Innovation Survey 2020
• The American Lawyer Feature on Mandatory Budgets at Thompson Hine
• Thompson Hine Innovation Webpage
• Lifetime Achiever: Charles Queenan | The American Lawyer
• Altman Weil | Law Department Surveys
• Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd | Youngme Moon

I interviewed Pia Flanagan | Chief Operating Officer at CEO Action for Racial Equity on Tuesday, June 1st, 2021.

We discussed topics such as:

• Starting her Career at Deloitte in NYC
• Why Representation Matters 
• Adding Value and More Career Advice
• Becoming Partner at Baker McKenzie
• Listening to Mentors & Going In-House 
• Why You Should Keep Raising Your Hand 
• Leadership that Makes You Better 
• The Work of CEO Action for Racial Equity
• Adopting Before Pandemic Begins
• Reading Recommendations

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Links referred to in this episode:

• Pia Flanagan | LinkedIn Profile
• CEO Action for Racial Equity | Website
• For Black Executives Like Pia Flanagan, The Fight For Racial Equity Is Personal | Huffpost Article
• Tim Ryan | LinkedIn Profile
• Baker McKenzie | Law Firm Website
• MassMutual | Website
• MassMutual's Business Resource Groups
• Roger Crandall | LinkedIn Profile
• Mark Roellig | LinkedIn Profile
• Dominic Blue | LinkedIn Profile
• Sonya Olds Som | LinkedIn Profile
• Bisa Butler | Artist's Instagram
• Karen Powell | Artist Profile
• The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America | Shawn Rochester
• Educational Policy Institute | Website
• Bipartisan Policy Center | Website
• Brookings Institution | Website
• Mission-Driven Leadership: My Journey as a Radical Capitalist | Mark Bertolini

I interviewed Nancy Lieberman | Retired Partner at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom on Wednesday, April 21st, 2021.

We discussed several topics such as:

• Graduating from law school at 22
• Creating M&A Law in the 80s 
• Becoming Skadden’s Youngest Partner
• Supportive Environment as a Female Attorney
• Traits Partners look for in Associates 
• Tips for Negotiating 
• Deal Stories with Carl Icahn
• Ski Accident & Beating the Odds
• Dad’s Inspiration 
• New Yorkers to Cure Paralysis

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Give Feedback

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Links referred to in this episode:

• Nancy Lieberman | LinkedIn Profile
• Nancy Lieberman | Skadden Website Bio
• Nancy as Adjunct Professor | Columbia Law School
• The Indomitable Nancy Lieberman | NYU Law Magazine
• 2013 Dealmakers of the Year | The American Lawyer
• Grit and Determination are Lawyer’s Keys to Remarkable Career | University of Chicago
• New Yorkers to Cure Paralysis | Website
• Joseph Flom | Wikipedia
• Carl Icahn | Wikipedia
• United States Steel | Website
• The Last Days of Drexel Burnham | Fortune Article
• Financial Villians: Where Are They Now? | Ivan Boesky featured
• Evergy | Company Website